Kyiv and Moscow have begun preliminary discussions on the possibility of ending mutual attacks on energy infrastructure, the Financial Times reports, citing informed sources. According to the report, the Ukrainian side is seeking to resume talks mediated by Qatar, which had almost resulted in an agreement in August but were disrupted by Ukraine’s attack on Russia’s Kursk region.
“The discussions are at a very early stage,” said a diplomat familiar with the talks. According to him, the current focus is on protecting energy installations.
If an agreement is reached, it will be one of the most significant steps towards de-escalation since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a possible cessation of attacks on energy facilities could demonstrate Moscow’s readiness for larger-scale peace talks.
In recent weeks, the frequency of attacks on energy infrastructure by both sides has decreased. As winter approaches, Ukraine is facing severe challenges, including Russian missile attacks that have destroyed almost half of its electricity generation capacity. The country is heavily dependent on nuclear energy and imports from European partners.
At the same time, according to the FT, Russia is unlikely to agree to a complete cessation of attacks until Ukrainian troops leave the territory it controls in the Kursk region.
Qatar has played a leading role in previous efforts to mediate a peaceful settlement. It launched its mission in June in an effort to facilitate dialogue following the Zelenskyy-led peace summit in Switzerland.
Ukraine, for its part, continues to strike at Russia’s oil refineries, using these attacks as leverage to force Moscow to return to the negotiation process.
The talks are also reminiscent of last year’s “tacit agreement”, when Russia refrained from large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the winter, but Kyiv resumed attacks in February and March, which undermined the agreement. In response, Russia conducted large-scale attacks, temporarily paralysing a large part of Ukraine’s energy system.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to consider only peace agreements that meet “realities on the ground”. However, his demands, including full control over the occupied regions of Ukraine and the lifting of Western sanctions, remain unacceptable to Kyiv.
