President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the proposal to halt strikes on energy infrastructure came from the United States and specifically from President Trump. Ukraine is prepared to act reciprocally and refrain from attacking Russian oil refineries if Russia adheres to the agreement.
Zelenskyy made these remarks during a meeting with journalists, reports Suspilne's correspondent.
The Ukrainian president characterized the initiative as "a possibility, not an agreement."
"Whether it will work — I cannot tell you yet. If Russia heard the signal from the American side the same way we did, then we will probably have some result and be able to evaluate it. There are no secrets here. There was no direct dialogue, no direct agreements on this between us and Russia," Zelenskyy said.
On 29 January, Trump announced that he personally asked Putin not to shell Kyiv and other cities for a week, "and he agreed." President Zelenskyy thanked the American side for efforts to stop strikes on energy infrastructure amid a difficult humanitarian situation in several Ukrainian regions. However, he added that the real situation at energy facilities will show whether this works. He also confirmed that this possibility was discussed during trilateral meetings in Abu Dhabi.
The trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi
On 23 and 24 January, a trilateral meeting took place between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. According to National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, the discussions focused on parameters for ending the war and the logic of the further negotiation process "with the aim of advancing toward a dignified and lasting peace."
A senior White House official said that "the trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia was productive."
Earlier, Zelenskyy reported that the Ukrainian delegation during trilateral negotiations in the UAE expects answers from Russia regarding the end of the war. In particular, he noted that the issue of Donetsk and Luhansk regions will remain key in the trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24.
The Ukrainian side at the negotiations was represented by NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov, Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov, his First Deputy Serhiy Kyslytsia, head of the parliamentary faction "Servant of the People" Davyd Arakhamia, advisor to the Cabinet of the President of Ukraine Oleksandr Bevz, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Andriy Hnatov, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Oleh Ivashchenko, First Deputy Secretary of the NSDC Yevheniy Ostrianskyi, First Deputy Head of the SBU Oleksandr Poklad, and Deputy Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate Vadym Skibitskyi.
From the American side, the meeting included special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Josh Gruenbaum, General Daniel Driscoll, and General Alex Grinkevich. The Russian side was represented by representatives of military intelligence and the army, Umerov added.
This Abu Dhabi meeting was preceded by a visit to Moscow on 22 January by US representatives Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Josh Gruenbaum. There they held a three-and-a-half-hour meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and his team, including Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev.
