President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday, after criticism from US counterpart Donald Trump, that Ukraine would be ready to stop hitting Russian oil refineries if Russia curbed its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Tensions between the two leaders have flared since Friday, when Trump announced a deal that would see Russia release large amounts of diesel onto global energy markets in exchange for sanctions relief.
Zelensky described the deal as a “weak decision,” saying it would encourage Russia to keep attacking Ukraine, but Trump said Saturday that Ukraine’s strikes were to blame for rising fuel prices.
Prices at US gasoline and diesel pumps have surged since late February, when joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran prompted Tehran to block the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway used for oil exports from the Gulf.
“Ukraine will be ready to stop striking Russian oil refineries if Russia stops striking our energy infrastructure. Any de-escalation steps must be reciprocal and backed by real guarantees,” Zelensky said on X.
Russia has launched waves of attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since invading in February 2022, knocking out power and heating to millions during winter months.
Ukraine’s largest private energy provider, DTEK, announced fresh power outages in the capital Kyiv on Sunday.
The row between Zelensky and Trump comes weeks before closely fought US elections dominated by voter frustration over the cost of living.
Meanwhile, Zelensky has said his country could hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day total ceasefire, pushing back against Trump’s call for Ukraine to pick a new leader.
“First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader,” Zelensky told ABC News in a televised interview on Sunday, a day after Trump said Ukraine needed a new president who would agree to end the war.
Zelensky said he told Trump’s team that if they really wanted Ukraine to hold elections, “please tell Putin to give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organise elections.”
AFP
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