PRESIDENT Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to halt its strikes on Russian territory if allies can secure a genuine Russian commitment not to hit Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. His comments came after US President DonaldTrump claimed in a social media post that Russia and Ukraine had agreed “not to hit” each other’s energy infrastructure, though Trump did not offer further details on the purported agreement. Russia did not immediately comment on Trump’s claim. Previous efforts to broker even a partial ceasefire have repeatedly fallen apart within hours, with both sides accusing each other of violations. Trump did not offer further details about the agreement but it comes a day after the US president called on Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian oil refineries and other infrastructure used to produce and distribute diesel, claiming the attacks are causing a global shortage. Diesel prices have surged in the US, and high fuel costs associated with the Iran war have become a major issue for Trump’s party in upcoming congressional elections.

 

Trump also claimed that the rise in the price of global diesel fuel “is mostly caused by the Russian/Ukraine war” and not Iran. But restricted shipments caused by the slowdown of oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz and damaged refining systems in Russia are causing strains in the energy market. In his post, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has proposed that partners help secure an agreement with Russia for a ceasefire. It’s not the first time Kyiv has floated the idea. “Every day, Ukrainian energy facilities, port infrastructure, logistics, even food and pharmaceutical warehouses become targets,” he said. “The war must be ended. And a de-escalation step regarding critical infrastructure could be a first step toward peace.” Zelenskyy said he “expects concrete proposals from our partners.”