--- title: "Zelensky names condition under which Ukraine will stop strikes on Russian refineries" description: "Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to stop strikes on Russian refineries if Moscow ceases to attack the energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports. The discussion of the conditions may take place at the UN General Assembly." date: 2026-09-21T14:14:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelensky-names-condition-for-stopping-strikes-on-russian-refineries tags: [ukraine, zelensky, russia, oil-refineries, de-escalation, un-general-assembly, trump, peace-talks] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Zelensky names condition under which Ukraine will stop strikes on Russian refineries ![Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a statement on the conditions for halting strikes on Russian refineries](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/21/zelensky-umov-prevrshennya-udariv-po-npz-rosii/zelensky-umov-prevrshennya-udariv-po-npz-rosii-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Zelensky named the condition for stopping strikes on Russian refineries: Russia must cease attacks on Ukraine's energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports - Dialogue with Trump and the US is ongoing; the de-escalation issue is planned to be discussed at the UN General Assembly in New York - Trump stated that Russia has lost control over its own oil refining after Ukrainian strikes on refineries - A specific verification mechanism and deadlines for implementing the exchange are not specified in the sides' statements Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv is ready to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries if Moscow takes decisive steps to de-escalate the conflict. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a direct statement by the head of state made against the backdrop of ongoing dialogue with the US administration and on the eve of the UN General Assembly in New York. According to Zelensky, Ukraine has sought peace since the very beginning of the full-scale invasion and has put forward dozens of diplomatic proposals to end the war, ensure security, and prevent new aggressions by the Russian Federation. ### De-escalation condition: what must change The key condition voiced by Zelensky is the cessation of Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports. "Ukraine's energy sector, critical infrastructure, and our food exports must stop being targets for Russia, and that will encourage us to take corresponding steps toward de-escalation," the president emphasized. Thus, Kyiv is formulating a mutual exchange: if Moscow relieves pressure on objects vital to Ukraine, Kyiv in turn renounces strikes on refineries, which, according to Western and Russian sources, have already been largely taken out of operation. ### Dialogue with Trump and the UN platform Zelensky confirmed that dialogue with US President Donald Trump and the American side is currently ongoing. He added that ideas capable of bringing peace closer are being considered, starting with decisive steps toward de-escalation. The Ukrainian side, he said, is ready to work on concrete solutions and to discuss this issue with partners on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. "The times when only the country under attack suffered are over. The nature of today's war is such that the aggressor will also suffer losses. This has become possible thanks to technology. The strength of state leadership can β€” and must β€” ensure de-escalation, security, and peace," Zelensky stated. ### Context: Trump's statements on the state of Russian oil refining Zelensky's statement came on the day when Donald Trump publicly noted that Russia has effectively lost control over its own oil refining industry after many refineries were taken out of operation as a result of Ukrainian strikes. The US president called the war "senseless and endless" and stated that it must be stopped. In his assessment, around 25,000 people are killed in the conflict each month, mostly military personnel. These statements create an additional political context for the Ukrainian proposal: Washington, it seems, views de-escalation as a priority and is ready to support initiatives aimed at reducing the intensity of hostilities. ### Contradictory data Publications by various outlets show a slight discrepancy in the wording of the condition. RBC-Ukraine uses the singular in its headline β€” "named the condition" β€” implying a single criterion. However, in the text of Zelensky's statement itself, three separate areas are listed: the energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports. Dialog.ua and Vesti.az also emphasize that the talk is of a list of targets, not a single condition. Thus, the factual essence of Kyiv's position does not change, but the degree of specificity of the wording varies depending on the source. Moreover, none of the cited statements names exact deadlines or a verification mechanism for confirming that Russia has actually stopped strikes on the specified objects before Ukraine halts its attacks on refineries. ### Assessment and prospects Zelensky's proposal is, in essence, the first specific "exchange" publicly voiced by Kyiv within the framework of de-escalation: renouncing strikes on refineries in exchange for the cessation of attacks on the energy sector and food exports. This could become the basis for a broader negotiation track on the UN platform. At the same time, as Zelensky himself notes, each new week of the war brings growing consequences β€” human losses, destruction, threats to food security, and unprecedented rates of technological development in armaments, including autonomous drones and advanced strike systems. In a situation where both sides acknowledge an escalation ceiling, the proposed exchange could become a practical first step toward reducing the intensity of the conflict, although its implementation depends on Moscow's political will and Washington's readiness to provide guarantees of compliance with the agreements. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [Zelensky, following Trump's call, names condition for stopping strikes on Russian refineries](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zelenskiy-pislya-zakliku-trampa-nazvav-umovu-1789999554.html) - ΠŸΠ΅Ρ€Π²ΠΈΡ‡Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ источник заявлСния ЗСлСнского. Π‘ΠΎΠ΄Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠΈΡ‚ прямыС Ρ†ΠΈΡ‚Π°Ρ‚Ρ‹ ΠΈ контСкст Π΄ΠΈΠ°Π»ΠΎΠ³Π° с Π’Ρ€Π°ΠΌΠΏΠΎΠΌ. - [Zelensky names list of targets Russia will not be able to strike in exchange for halting strikes on refineries](https://www.dialog.ua/ukraine/zelenskiy-nazval-spisok-tseley-po-kotorym-rossiya-ne-smozhet-bit.html) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ ΠΏΠ΅Ρ€Π΅Ρ‡Π΅Π½ΡŒ ΠΈΠ· Ρ‚Ρ€Ρ‘Ρ… Π½Π°ΠΏΡ€Π°Π²Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΠΉ (энСргСтика, инфраструктура, ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠ»ΡŒΡΡ‚Π²Π΅Π½Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ экспорт). - [Zelensky ready to stop strikes on Russian refineries β€” but on one condition](https://ulysmedia.kz/news/81264-zelenskii-gotov-ostanovit-udary-po-rossiiskim-npz-no-pri-odnom-uslovii/) - Казашский источник, Ρ‚Ρ€Π°Π½ΡΠ»ΠΈΡ€ΡƒΡŽΡ‰ΠΈΠΉ Ρ‚Ρƒ ΠΆΠ΅ ΠΈΠ½Ρ„ΠΎΡ€ΠΌΠ°Ρ†ΠΈΡŽ. Π€ΠΎΡ€ΠΌΡƒΠ»ΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²ΠΊΠ° Β«ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎ условиС» ΡƒΠΏΡ€ΠΎΡ‰Π°Π΅Ρ‚ ΠΏΠ΅Ρ€Π΅Ρ‡Π΅Π½ΡŒ, Π½ΠΎ ΡΡƒΡ‚ΡŒ совпадаСт. - [Kyiv ready to stop strikes on refineries in exchange for de-escalation by Moscow](https://vesti.az/v-mire/kiev-gotov-ostanovit-udary-po-npz-v-obmen-na-deeskalaciyu-so-storony-moskvy-616367) - АзСрбайдТанский источник, ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°ΡŽΡ‰ΠΈΠΉ ΠΎΠ±Ρ‰ΠΈΠΉ тСзис ΠΎ Π²Π·Π°ΠΈΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠΌ ΠΎΠ±ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅ Π² Ρ€Π°ΠΌΠΊΠ°Ρ… дСэскалации. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What exact condition did Ukraine set for stopping strikes on Russian refineries? **A:** Zelensky stated that Russia must stop using Ukraine's energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports as targets. If this condition is met, Kyiv is ready to renounce strikes on Russian oil refineries. ### Q: Where and when is the de-escalation issue planned to be discussed? **A:** The Ukrainian side stated its readiness to discuss concrete solutions on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, as well as within the framework of the ongoing dialogue with US President Donald Trump and the American side. ### Q: What did Trump say about the state of Russian oil refining? **A:** Donald Trump stated that Russia has lost control over its own oil refining industry after many refineries were taken out of operation as a result of Ukrainian strikes. He also called the war "senseless and endless" and estimated the monthly losses at 25,000 people. ### Q: Has a mechanism for verifying that Russia has actually stopped strikes been named? **A:** In the cited statements by Zelensky and Trump, a specific verification mechanism and deadlines for implementing the exchange are not specified. The issue, it seems, will be detailed during negotiations on the UN platform.