President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukraine is prepared to reduce the intensity of the war with Russia if its rival does the same. This came after US President Donald Trump announced that Ukraine had agreed not to strike Russian energy targets. Russia did not immediately confirm Trump’s announcement. Zelensky did not confirm that a final agreement had been reached and said Ukraine wanted reliable guarantees that Moscow would follow through.
Trump had criticized Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, saying they were contributing to a global diesel shortage and higher fuel prices in the United States, according to France 24. In his daily address, Zelensky pointed to a proposal from the United States for both sides to halt strikes on critical infrastructure. He added that Ukraine’s precise actions against Russia’s war economy were starting to affect Moscow. Ukraine has targeted Russian oil facilities to raise the economic cost of the war, while Russia has repeatedly struck Ukraine’s energy and transport infrastructure.
Zelensky also said he had not seen any real effort from Russia to end the war so far. Trump has argued that the Russia-Ukraine war, not the situation in Iran, is the main reason world diesel prices have risen. U.S. peace efforts on Ukraine have continued even as the conflict with Iran has entered its seventh month.
US envoys recently visited both Moscow and Kyiv but did not announce any breakthrough. While Ukraine has targeted refineries inside Russia, Zelensky has asked allies to provide more missile defense systems. Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s rail network, making conditions worse each week. Russian missile and drone attacks resumed after the U.S. envoys left Kyiv, killing five people in the capital and damaging buildings and infrastructure.
The head of Ukraine’s national railway company said that Russian strikes are getting worse each week. A train strike near the Polish border hit a route often used by diplomats, raising concerns about safety. On Sunday, a Russian drone struck a passenger train locomotive at Yahodyn station about two kilometers from Poland shortly after a diplomatic train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other European officials had passed through. Poland’s prime minister said Warsaw had information that Russia might be planning more attacks on border crossings.
European Union countries delayed a decision on extending sanctions against Russia by one week. France pushed to remove billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the blacklist, which sparked disagreement among other members. The EU list of individuals and entities linked to Russia is due for renewal every six months. The sanctions cover nearly 3,000 people and companies with asset freezes and travel bans and require unanimous approval from all 27 EU countries.
A spokesperson from Ireland, which currently leads the EU, said continuing these sanctions is essential to keep pressure on Russia. The Financial Times reported that France’s move may be part of a deal involving French citizens held in Azerbaijan. France joined Slovakia in seeking Usmanov’s removal, while most other EU countries opposed taking him off the list.
IMAGE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv on Sept. 6, 2026. Photo: Daniel Torok / The White House / Wikimedia Commons, U.S. government public domain.
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