NEW YORK — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Monday that he is ready to accept "any form of energy truce" with Russia, emphasizing his desire for the protracted war to end before the winter sets in.

Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York on the 22nd (local time) during the UN General Assembly, Zelenskyy told AFP that he discussed potential energy truces and pathways to ending the war with U.S. President Donald Trump.

"If Russia agrees not to attack our energy system, we are ready for any form of energy truce," Zelenskyy said. However, noting that Moscow's official stance remains unclear, he added that he expects the U.S. side to find ways to bring Russia to the negotiating table in some capacity.

When asked whether the United States had made a unilateral request to halt attacks on Russian energy facilities, the Ukrainian leader firmly answered, "There was no such request at all." Previously, President Trump claimed on the 14th that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to refrain from targeting each other's energy infrastructure, though neither side has officially confirmed or denied the claim.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy described his meeting with President Trump as "positive and productive." He wrote, "Both the United States and Ukraine hope that this senseless war with Russia can end before winter."

Entering its fifth year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the conflict has faced prolonged diplomatic stagnation, particularly after the U.S. turned its focus toward a conflict with Iran following previous mediation efforts. Both nations have continued to target critical infrastructure, including energy and transportation hubs, deep within each other's territory.

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