Ukraine offers refinery-strike halt if Russia stops energy attacks

On October 11, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine could pause its refinery attacks if Russia halted its assaults on Ukraine’s energy system, outlining a mutual condition as US President Donald Trump urged Kyiv to stop the strikes.¹²³⁶

Reciprocal proposal

Zelenskiy said the proposed reduction in attacks could not be one-sided. Ukraine’s position is that Russia would have to stop targeting its power and energy system in return for Kyiv halting refinery strikes, according to reports by AFP, Reuters, The Straits Times and The Moscow Times. He said that “Any de-escalation steps must be reciprocal and backed by real guarantees.”¹²³⁶

The Ukrainian president said attacks on energy facilities could end immediately, but accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of lacking the will to do so. Zelenskiy also said Russia alone was responsible for the war in Europe, according to The Straits Times and The Moscow Times.²³

Russia has launched repeated attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since its February 2022 invasion, AFP reported. Those attacks have cut power and heating for millions during winter periods, the agency said. DTEK, described by AFP as Ukraine’s largest private energy provider, announced new power outages in Kyiv on October 11.¹

US pressure and fuel concerns

Trump demanded that Ukraine stop striking Russian refineries without making that demand conditional on a Russian halt to attacks on Ukraine’s energy system, according to The Straits Times, The Moscow Times and Reuters. He linked Ukrainian refinery attacks to higher US diesel prices, the first two outlets reported.²³⁶

Trump also said Russia and Ukraine had reached an “energy ceasefire”, according to the Associated Press. AP reported that he did not provide details, and said there had been no confirmation from Moscow. Separately, AFP reported that Trump announced an arrangement under which Russia would release large quantities of diesel to global markets in exchange for sanctions relief.⁴¹

Zelenskiy called the reported diesel arrangement a “weak decision” and said it would encourage Moscow to continue attacks on Ukraine, AFP reported. Analysts cited by The Straits Times and The Moscow Times said the agreement was unlikely to bring a lasting fall in fuel prices because the volumes involved were below Russia’s usual exports.¹²³

European discussions

Zelenskiy said he would continue talks with European leaders, including daily discussions on additional air-defence packages, according to The Straits Times and The Moscow Times. The European Union Foreign Affairs Council was expected to consider greater sanctions pressure on Russia and progress in negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, those outlets reported.²³

US Republican Representative Don Bacon said sanctions should be increased rather than removed, according to The Straits Times and The Moscow Times. The reports also said Democrats could win control of one or both chambers of Congress in the following month’s midterm elections.²³