Zelenskiy warns Russia of winter retaliation without truce on energy attacks
Ukraine’s president called for an agreement on energy attacks before winter, while Russia signalled no shift in its opposition to a temporary halt in fighting.
New York, United States. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned at the United Nations on Wednesday that Ukraine would retaliate against Russia this winter if the two sides fail to agree a truce on energy attacks before the cold sets in. He urged de-escalation as Ukraine and its allies seek limited agreements on energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping.
Winter concerns
Ukraine and its allies fear renewed Russian strikes on power and heating facilities. Moscow has shown little interest in broader negotiations to end the war.
“Ukrainians understand that this winter could be very harsh for us. But in response, we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia too,” Zelenskiy told the UN General Assembly at its annual gathering of world leaders.
Russia has a much larger missile arsenal, which it has used to attack Ukraine throughout the war. Ukraine has developed and deployed thousands of long-range drones against Russian warehouses, port infrastructure and oil refineries.
Zelenskiy called for stronger diplomacy and said Chinese President Xi Jinping could influence Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi did not attend the UN gathering and was due to hold talks at the White House with US President Donald Trump on Thursday. Zelenskiy met Trump on Tuesday to discuss a ceasefire covering energy-related targets.
Diplomatic contacts
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. Rubio said afterward that Ukraine and Russia had both expressed interest in a limited ceasefire involving grain and energy-related targets.
There was no immediate sign of a change in Moscow’s position. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Lavrov had reaffirmed its “unconditional commitment” to the objectives of what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine. Speaking to the 15-member UN Security Council on the sidelines of the gathering, Lavrov indicated that Moscow would not accept a temporary halt to hostilities.
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