FT: Putin unwilling to agree energy truce before winter

Talks on a mutual halt to strikes on energy infrastructure between Ukraine and Russia have been underway for several months, the Financial Times reports, citing sources familiar with the peace process.

According to the paper, the issue of stopping attacks on energy facilities was first raised during trilateral talks involving the US, Ukraine and Russia. After those talks collapsed in February, discussions continued through separate negotiations and informal contacts.

Moscow shows no interest

For several months, Ukraine has urged Russia to agree to a mutual halt on strikes against energy facilities, ports and other critical infrastructure, FT sources say. Russia, however, rejected the proposals and instead intensified its own attacks.

A source familiar with Russia's position confirmed to the paper that Moscow and Kyiv have resumed talks on a possible energy truce. At the same time, officials familiar with the Kremlin's thinking say Putin is reluctant to sign an agreement before winter arrives, believing that strikes on Ukraine's energy system during the cold season would increase pressure on Kyiv and could push it toward concessions.

Trump's involvement

US President Donald Trump said on Monday, September 14, that Ukraine had reportedly agreed not to strike Russian energy facilities. The statement followed an earlier one in which he said he had urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop strikes on Russian diesel fuel production.

Notably, in early July, during the public portion of a meeting with Zelensky, Trump had said that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries were an escalation that could bring the war closer to its end. Last week, Trump said he had a "great" conversation with Putin and that the Russian leader wants to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine.