On September 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready to halt strikes on Russia if its partners ensure Moscow will refrain from hitting Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure. However, Zelenskyy expressed doubt about Russia's willingness to adhere to any agreement, emphasizing the need for a reliable long-term deal with real impact on people’s lives.
The day before, US President Donald Trump claimed that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to hit each other's energy targets in an effort to mitigate rising global fuel prices. Zelenskyy later clarified that Ukraine was willing to reciprocate but needed assurances from "partners," likely referring to the U.S., that Russia would genuinely refrain from striking Ukrainian critical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin welcomed Trump’s call on Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian diesel facilities, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that any such call could be welcomed. However, he also noted that the upheaval in global energy markets was mainly due to conflicts in the Gulf region rather than the Russia-Ukraine war.
As tensions escalated and fuel prices soared past $6 per gallon, Trump's claims were met with skepticism from both Ukrainian and Russian sides, with no official confirmation of an agreement as of September 14.
Oil prices rose on growing fears of the Middle East conflict metastasizing and further constricting global energy flows.
Iran and its proxies have in recent weeks sought to “upend any minimal sense of stability in the region,” The New York Times noted, while a leading US analyst warned that “horizontal escalation” where the conflict spread beyond its current borders meant that current unrest had “at least months more to go.”
