Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's proposal for a 60-day ceasefire.
According to the UK Telegraph on October 12, Russian forces continued airstrikes even after President Donald Trump's announcement of an 'energy ceasefire' on October 11. Russia targeted a power plant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Despite Trump's request for both countries to refrain from attacking energy infrastructure, Putin did not comply.
In response to Trump's announcement, Zelensky urged Russia to agree to a ceasefire for 60 days, stating that elections cannot be held during wartime. He indicated that a ceasefire would allow for elections to take place, and he expressed his willingness to abide by the election results. Zelensky's proposal came amid Trump's criticism of Ukraine's attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and calls for a change in Ukraine's leadership. Although Zelensky's term has ended, he continues to govern under martial law due to the war, which halts elections according to the Ukrainian constitution.
In a press conference on October 12, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, 'If they (Ukrainians) genuinely want to hold elections in Kyiv, President Putin is prepared to issue an order not to conduct airstrikes on the day of the election.' Peskov also commented on Trump's energy ceasefire remarks, saying, 'Contacts are ongoing,' and added that he would provide updates if there was anything to report regarding the energy ceasefire. He reiterated Russia's position that it seeks lasting peace rather than a temporary ceasefire, criticizing Zelensky for lacking legitimacy due to the end of his term.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has reportedly threatened to halt arms supplies to Ukraine if it continues to attack Russian energy infrastructure, according to the Financial Times on October 11. European officials who received calls from U.S. officials on October 10 and 11 indicated that the U.S. government is lobbying European countries and Ukraine to cease attacks on Russian oil facilities. Among those contacted was Pavlo Palisa, a military advisor to Zelensky and former commander of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade.
These officials warned that the U.S. could stop sharing critical intelligence with Ukraine and halt the 'Priority Ukraine Request List' (PURL), a system managed by NATO for procuring U.S. weapons for Ukraine. The White House did not comment on the Financial Times report.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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