The Russian government reacted positively to the proposal of U.S. President Donald Trump to stop reciprocal attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and Russia. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said on Tuesday: 'We generally consider this a very good idea' and described the proposal as an 'energy ceasefire.'
Kremlin's Conditions for Ceasefire
Peskov did not respond to the question of whether the Kremlin would agree to this proposal. He only stated that in addition to stopping Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries, Russia must also be allowed to export its oil without obstacles. He emphasized: 'The safety of commercial transport and navigation, including for oil tankers, must be ensured' and added that Russia will remain in contact with Washington.
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Ukraine's Reaction to Attacks and Proposals
President Trump announced on social media on Monday that both Ukraine and Russia had 'agreed' not to attack 'energy targets.' However, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, only spoke of a 'strong U.S. proposal' to 'stop reciprocal' attacks on critical infrastructure. In his evening address, he stated: 'If this can be the first step towards de-escalation, Ukraine is ready to help reduce tensions.'
At the same time, Russia launched 200 drones towards Ukrainian cities last night, resulting in two deaths; one in the capital Kyiv and another in the city of Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian officials reported that in response to these attacks, Zelensky announced that Ukraine targeted an oil refinery in Sizran located in the Samara region.
Zelensky further emphasized: 'Russia continues to attack our energy sector, normal logistics, and critical infrastructure, and our responses to these attacks are tangible.' On the eastern fronts of Ukraine, Ukrainian forces reported that they had liberated over 10 square kilometers of occupied land and cleared another 75 square kilometers that had been infiltrated by Russian forces.
On Tuesday, Russia also criticized France's security plan to cover European countries under nuclear protection. Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, told reporters: 'It is clear that this poses a risk for us' and added that it should be monitored.
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