Moscow has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s proposal for a moratorium on energy strikes as unwise and dangerous, stressing that Russia remains committed to achieving a durable, legally binding peace agreement with Ukraine rather than a limited ceasefire. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks Wednesday following President Zelenskiy’s signal that Kyiv was prepared to discuss halting energy-related attacks amid worsening power outages in Ukraine.
Peskov emphasized that Russia is focused on securing “a stable, guaranteed, long-term peace, achieved through the signing of appropriate documents” rather than temporary pauses in hostilities. His comments came after Zelenskiy proposed a moratorium as Ukraine faces escalating infrastructure disruptions.
The Russian official noted that Moscow had previously agreed to a 30-day energy infrastructure ceasefire in March following a phone call between President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. However, Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukraine of violating the truce by targeting oil refineries and other critical facilities. At the time, Moscow stated it chose not to retaliate as a goodwill gesture toward the United States.
Zelenskiy’s latest proposal arrives amid recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian military and energy infrastructure, prompting rolling blackouts across Kyiv. The Kremlin maintains that these actions are responses to alleged Ukrainian “terrorist acts” deep within Russian territory, which it claims target critical infrastructure and residential areas. Moscow insists its forces never strike civilians and operate exclusively against military facilities.