Ukraine and Russia Discuss Ceasefire to End Airstrikes on Energy Facilities

Photo : AFP

Ukraine and Russia have entered preliminary negotiations aimed at potentially halting airstrikes on each other's energy facilities, according to a report citing unnamed sources, including senior Ukrainian officials. Ukraine is looking to resume discussions that had nearly reached an agreement in August, which were mediated by Qatar.

These negotiations had previously been disrupted when Ukrainian forces launched an incursion into Russia's Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, during the same month. A diplomat briefed on the discussions stated, “There are very early talks about potentially restarting something. There's now talks on the energy facilities.”

However, as of now, reports have not been independently verified. The Kremlin, the Russian Defense Ministry, and the offices of both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have not provided immediate comments on the matter.

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The Kremlin has declined to comment, while Zelenskiy’s office has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the negotiations.

Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a significant portion of Ukraine's energy capacity has been devastated or seized due to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure. This destruction has forced Kyiv to rely heavily on its nuclear power facilities and energy imports from Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated last month that Russia had incapacitated over half of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, equating to more than 50 gigawatts of capacity. The European Union has proposed to restore 2.5 gigawatts of capacity, which represents about 15% of Ukraine's energy needs.

At the outset of the war, Ukraine lacked powerful long-range weapons but has since developed advanced long-range attack drones. These drones have enabled Ukrainian forces to strike deep within Russian territory, targeting various sites including oil refineries, power plants, and military airfields.

In an earlier statement, Zelenskiy suggested that a deal aimed at protecting energy facilities could reflect a Russian openness to broader peace talks. While Moscow claims to desire peace, it has set forth conditions that Ukraine deems unacceptable, complicating the prospects for resolution.