Moscow ending their aerial attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure could provide a starting point for negotiations to end the war started by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president told journalists that “getting a result” on stopping Russia’s continued targeting of energy and cargo ships could signal that Moscow “may be ready to end the war.” Newsweek has emailed the Ukrainian president’s office for comment.
Since the start of Putin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has battered Ukrainian energy infrastructure with missiles and drones. Ukraine is bracing itself for another tough winter after Moscow destroyed thermal power plants that generate energy.
In strikes it often does not claim responsibility for immediately, Ukraine has also successfully targeted Russian oil facilities with drone attacks that have hampered Moscow’s war machine.
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However, Zelensky said in Kyiv on Tuesday that both sides ending their strikes on energy infrastructure could pave the way for de-escalating the conflict.
“We saw during the first (peace) summit that there could be a decision on energy security,” he told reporters, according to the U.K. newspaper Financial Times. “In other words—we do not attack their energy infrastructures; they don’t attack ours. Could this lead to the end of the war’s hot phase? I think so.”
This month, Zelensky presented his five-point “victory plan,” first to the U.S., and it includes a push for Kyiv eventually to join NATO, as well as further security guarantees to ensure that Russia would not attack again. It is also comprised of three classified areas that were shared with allies.
However, the Ukrainian president faces increasing pressure to find a negotiated end to the war, especially if former President Donald Trump were to return to the White House, with the Republican nominee having cast doubt on the continued support by the U.S. for Kyiv.
Zelensky said on Tuesday that Russia’s willingness to negotiate depended on what happened in the U.S. elections and that he expected a “more positive reaction” from the ballot on November 5. “Not because there will be a new president,” he added, “but because, right now, the focus of the U.S. is on the elections.”
On Wednesday, Zelensky’s office said that the president had tasked authorities to come up with an action plan to help Ukraine withstand the war, The Kyiv Independent reported.
The online publication added that an unnamed presidential office source said the plan would tackle military, political, economic issues as well as decisions on law enforcement.
BBC Ukraine reported that the plan would be unveiled to the Ukrainian public by the end of the year.
