The destroyed engine room of the Trypillia thermal power plant after a Russian missile attack on 11 April. Photo: Getty Images
According to the FT, Ukraine and Russia are holding preliminary talks to end strikes on each other’s energy infrastructure.
Source: The Financial Times with reference to informed sources
Details: According to FT sources, Kyiv is trying to resume talks with Qatar’s mediation.
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The publication notes that these talks were allegedly close to a deal in August but were “derailed” due to the operation of Ukrainian defence forces in Kursk Oblast.
Quote from FT source: “There’s very early talks about potentially restarting something. There are now talks on the energy facilities.”
Details: The publication notes that the agreement would mark the most significant de-escalation of the war since Russian leader Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
This month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that an agreement on the protection of energy facilities could indicate Russia’s willingness to engage in broader peace talks.
According to a senior Ukrainian official, Moscow and Kyiv have already reduced the frequency of attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks as part of an agreement reached by their intelligence services.
The FT notes that as winter approaches, Ukraine faces serious challenges due to large-scale Russian missile strikes that have destroyed almost half of its power generation capacity.
Quote from FT: “Both Kyiv and Moscow have previously accepted that stopping attacks on Ukraine’s power grid and Russia’s oil refining capacity was in their mutual interest.
But Putin is unlikely to agree a deal until Russia’s forces oust Ukrainian troops from its Kursk region, where they still control about 600 sq km of territory…”
Details: According to a senior Ukrainian official, Ukraine nevertheless plans to continue striking targets, including oil refineries, to force Russia to negotiate.
Four Ukrainian officials told the FT that last autumn, Kyiv and Moscow reached a “tacit agreement” that they would not strike each other’s energy facilities.
Previously: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that halting Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and cargo ships could pave the way for talks to end the war.
Background:
- Russian Security Council Secretary (and former defence minister) Sergei Shoigu said that before Ukraine’s offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed to Türkiye’s proposal to stop Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and commercial and civilian ships.
- Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been trying to negotiate peace. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to discuss all pressing issues in person. The Russian has ignored Zelenskyy. Eventually, Zelenskyy stated that Putin’s statements about his desire for peace were not sincere and approved the National Security and Defence Council’s decision that it was impossible to negotiate with him.
- A few weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a peace deal could have been signed. The conditions for ending the war then were spelled out in a 17-page draft agreement that the parties agreed on on 15 April 2022. Russia demanded neutrality from Ukraine, and a limit on the number of troops, weapons, equipment and vehicles. The then-occupied territories were to remain with Russia.
- However, in April 2022, Russia effectively disrupted peace talks with Ukraine by including a clause in the draft agreement stating that it would have a veto over the international community’s response in the event of a repeated attack on Ukraine.
- In September 2024, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said that Russia has not abandoned the idea of negotiations with Ukraine, but they should be based on the “documents” agreed upon in Istanbul in 2022.
Read more: From Zelenskyy’s “surrender” to Putin’s surrender: how the negotiations with Russia are going
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