Kyiv: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Monday that Kyiv was open to any mutually agreed arrangement that was not one-sided, following Trump's announcement a day earlier that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an energy ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was awaiting details of the proposed truce, while Russia had not commented on Trump's announcement.
Sybiha said Russian strikes on energy facilities in Kharkiv and other regions had occurred just hours after the announcement. Speaking in Luxembourg ahead of a meeting of European Union (EU) foreign ministers, he urged European countries to take decisive action, saying, “Words don't stop missiles. Decisions do.”
Zelenskyy, in a post on X on Monday, said Ukraine saw no signs that Russia wanted to end the war or take basic steps towards de-escalation. He also warned that the focus on energy supplies risked overlooking a potential global agricultural crisis caused by disruptions to Ukrainian grain exports.
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, Zelenskiy said Russia's blockade of maritime routes could disrupt grain supplies to countries across Africa, Asia and West Asia. He urged the international community to address the risk of food shortages alongside concerns over energy supplies.
In a separate post, Zelenskiy proposed a possible “diesel deal” with Trump, saying Ukraine could refrain from striking Russian diesel infrastructure if Kyiv received guarantees that its own energy system would be protected. He said safeguarding electricity supplies was essential for civilians and could also help European countries facing shortages.
The remarks came as the Kremlin rejected Zelenskiy's proposal for a 60-day ceasefire to allow Ukraine to hold a presidential election, saying Moscow wanted a comprehensive peace deal instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be ready to order the military not to attack Ukraine on election day.
Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers adopted nearly 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia's military-industrial complex on Monday. European officials were also due to continue discussions on coordinating their response to the conflict, including Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine and alleged hybrid attacks against the European Union.
(With agency inputs from Reuters and ANI)
