Russia has rejected a 60-day ceasefire proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to allow presidential elections, saying it wants a comprehensive peace agreement instead. The response came a day after US President Donald Trump surprised Kyiv by announcing an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. On Monday, both Mr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron said Russia had continued to strike Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Kremlin rejects a 60-day ceasefire
Mr Zelensky made the proposal on Sunday in an interview with ABC’s “This Week”. “Please, tell Putin to give us two months, 60 days of complete ceasefire, 60 days and we will organise elections,” he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Russia wants a long-term peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire.
“In the Kremlin, President Putin and officials at other levels have repeatedly stated that we do not want a truce,” Mr Peskov said. “We want long-term peace and we are ready to do everything possible to achieve it.”
Russia has long pressed Ukraine to hold elections and says its failure to do so makes Mr Zelensky an illegitimate leader. Elections in wartime are prohibited under Ukrainian law.
Contacts on the energy ceasefire continue
The Kremlin said contacts are continuing on a possible energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, as announced by President Trump. Moscow had not initially responded to the announcement.
Mr Peskov declined to say whether a ceasefire would cover only oil refineries. He said further details would be announced in due course.
Zelensky warns Ukraine will respond
Speaking by video link to a security forum in Warsaw, Mr Zelensky warned that Ukraine “will respond” if Russia does not respect the energy ceasefire this winter.
“This winter, if Russia does not accept the energy ceasefire, we will respond,” he said.
“If Russia wants us to stop our long-range strikes on its oil refineries and its oil exports, then it must stop its strikes on our energy system and our critical infrastructure. And stop killing our people,” he added.
Reported Russian violations overnight
Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine did not strike any Russian energy infrastructure overnight from Sunday to Monday. Moscow, by contrast, hit a gas facility and “a petrol station”, he said.
“There have been Russian violations of the energy ceasefire announced by President Trump,” he said. He added that on Monday morning “Russian jet-powered drones” were continuing “to fly in the skies over Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.”
Since the summer, Russia has significantly intensified its attacks on Ukraine, mainly targeting the capital. It has launched swarms of jet-powered drones, which are harder to intercept than conventional drones.
Call for US pressure on Russia
Mr Zelensky urged the United States to maintain “pressure” on Russia and not to make concessions.
“We need American pressure on Russia, not the easing of sanctions, not concessions, but real pressure so that we can achieve at least what the American President spoke about in his message yesterday,” he said, referring to the energy ceasefire.
He said he had learnt of the energy ceasefire from the media. “We are awaiting details on the terms between the Americans and the Russians, and we expect to see a concrete step the Americans are ready to take,” he said.
“This energy ceasefire can work and can be an important step towards ending the war, if the Americans intervene substantively now and ensure that the Russians respect it,” Mr Zelensky said.
“An energy ceasefire and other measures to limit escalation and ensure security are truly needed here, in reality, not only on Truth Social,” he added.
Macron: “No to yielding to the Russian threat”
President Macron said on Monday that “we must not yield” to the “Russian threat”. He was responding to a series of recent decisions and statements by President Trump which, in his view, favour Russia over Ukraine.
“I believe we must be collectively serious,” Mr Macron told reporters on the sidelines of a visit to the Paris Motor Show. He said he would speak with his US counterpart later in the day.
“We have today, I believe, no real reason to change our position. Russia continues to bomb both civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine,” he said.
The French President backed efforts to secure a ceasefire in the energy sector and the Black Sea, as well as a resumption of peace talks, but added: “No to yielding to the Russian threat.”
“I have not seen in these last 48 hours an energy ceasefire from the Russian side,” Mr Macron said. He added that Russian forces had continued to strike energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
The US moves behind the developments
On Friday, President Trump announced that he had negotiated the delivery of large quantities of Russian diesel to US and world markets, lifting sanctions on Moscow to achieve it. The agreement is regarded as a way to bring down, at least in part, energy prices in the United States ahead of the November midterm elections, which are crucial for the Republican Party.
Mr Trump also called on Ukrainians to find “a new leader who can reach a deal” on peace with Moscow.
On Sunday, he announced an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, a statement that came as a surprise in Kyiv.
