Zelenskyy says Ukraine will pause strikes if Russia ends attacks on its energy system

Kyiv has indicated it is prepared to suspend military strikes against Russian facilities if Moscow ceases its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a televised address on Saturday. The statement comes amid a sharp escalation in the war’s “energy war” dimension, with Russian forces targeting power plants, substations and gas pipelines across Ukraine, causing widespread blackouts and prompting emergency measures to keep the grid operational. In response, Ukrainian forces have intensified air and missile strikes on Russian military sites, industrial complexes and logistics hubs, a campaign that Moscow has condemned as unlawful retaliation.

Zelenskyy’s offer is framed as a conditional de‑escalation measure, linking the cessation of Ukrainian counter‑strikes to a halt in Russian assaults on civilian energy assets. He urged Moscow to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilian infrastructure, emphasizing that a pause in hostilities would be contingent on a verifiable end to the attacks on Ukraine’s power network. The proposal arrives as diplomatic channels remain active, with Western allies urging restraint on both sides while continuing to supply Ukraine with defensive aid. Kyiv’s stance signals a willingness to explore a limited cease‑fire, contingent on tangible steps by Russia to protect Ukraine’s critical energy system.