Russia has rejected a proposal to halt reciprocal strikes on energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a meeting with a group of journalists in Kyiv, according to Report's Eastern Europe bureau.
Ukrainian president noted that Russian representatives did not provide a concrete response to the proposal during talks in Abu Dhabi, instead stating that the decision would have to be made by President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian representatives had responded by suggesting a direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents if Russian negotiators were unable to make decisions on such issues.
He added that the sides had agreed that a US delegation would discuss the matter with Putin and that Ukraine was now awaiting the outcome of those contacts.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that the discussion concerned a potential meeting between himself and Putin, adding that the Russian president did not personally support the idea of a temporary ceasefire.
Zelenskyy also argued that Putin might be willing to make concessions in the war only if the United States approved a substantial new support package for Ukraine.
He said such a package could create an opportunity for the parties to reach an agreement on reducing tensions before the end of the year.
According to him, Russia would be prepared to take meaningful steps only if the US Congress demonstrated readiness to approve a strong support package for Ukraine, potentially including both sanctions and weapons. He added that he had presented his Victory Plan to Donald Trump in 2024, outlining how increased US support could encourage Putin to engage in negotiations and take practical steps.
The Ukrainian president further stated that if the US Congress considered supporting such an initiative, there could be an opportunity to reach some form of understanding aimed at easing tensions before the end of the year.
Zelenskyy said that such a window of opportunity would also be available to Russia and argued that, as Ukraine's position strengthened, it would be more reasonable for Moscow to explore a diplomatic solution rather than continue military confrontation.