Zelensky warns Russia of reciprocal response to strikes on energy facilities

Ukraine is ready to respond symmetrically to Russian strikes on energy infrastructure during cold weather. At the same time, Kyiv proposes moving towards ending the war in stages, starting with individual agreements whose implementation can be monitored.

This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reports his Telegram channel.

Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine must respond to Russia's actions, otherwise Moscow will not feel the consequences of continuing the war.

"We responded and did the same. We must respond, otherwise Russia will never stop this war, because it will never feel it. The same goes for energy," — the president said.

Thus, if Russia continues strikes on Ukraine's energy system during the cold season, Kyiv is ready to apply a similar approach to Russian energy infrastructure.

At the same time, Zelensky believes it is possible to move towards ending the war gradually — through achieving concrete agreements on individual directions. Among the issues that Ukraine and its partners are already discussing, the president named energy and the security of food exports through the Black Sea.

According to Zelensky, partners raise the issue of possible results of future negotiations, in particular the unblocking of grain and other agricultural product exports. Ukraine, as the president noted, is already responding to Russian actions in this sphere.

Over the past month, Zelensky has discussed food security with Egypt, India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. According to him, these nations understand that obstacles to food supplies through the Black Sea have consequences far beyond Ukraine and Russia.

"All this depends on Russia. I'm not sure they are capable of showing flexibility in these matters. But strong world leaders can force them to take the right position, even if they don't like it," — Zelensky said.

One of the possible first steps of de-escalation was previously called the so-called energy truce — mutual refusal of Russia and Ukraine from strikes on energy infrastructure. Moscow has not publicly agreed to such a format yet. On September 10, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that substantive negotiations on the energy truce are not underway.

Thus, Kyiv's position provides for two parallel scenarios: a reciprocal response in case of continued Russian attacks and readiness for mutual restrictions on strikes within a gradual negotiation process.