The US will carry a proposal to Russia to halt strikes on Ukraine's energy systems amid talks over the so-called "energy ceasefire" ahead of the cold season. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he and US President Donald Trump discussed the energy truce at the UN, and that Washington made no unilateral demands of Kyiv, agreeing only to pass the mutual offer to Moscow, his office said.
The outcome eases the worry that shadowed the earlier round, when Trump blamed Ukraine's strikes for record US diesel prices above $6 a gallon and pressed Kyiv to stop hitting Russian refineries, CNBC reported.
Zelenskyy offers a mutual halt
"We talked about an energy truce for us. If they do not want us to attack oil-refining capacities, then let them not touch our energy system, our water supply," he said.
The US side, he continues, would relay the offer to Russia. The two presidents met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on 22 September.
Air defense stays unresolved
At the same time, no agreement was announced on launching production of Patriot interceptor missiles in Ukraine, the only ones that can intercept Russia's ballistic missiles.
According to the president, his adviser, Pavlo Palisa, spoke with representatives of Raytheon, the Patriot interceptor producer. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine had asked Trump to help accelerate the process.
“We need the licenses to prepare for Patriot production. Raytheon is ready, and I asked President Trump to help with this. He responded positively,” the president said.
Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine plans to launch the project within the next year to 18 months, emphasizing that “this is work for the long term, for the future.”
The two leaders also discussed other bilateral and multilateral issues, including a winter air defense package for Ukraine, but no specific details or concrete agreements were announced.
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