U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Ukraine and Russia had both voiced interest in a limited ceasefire covering grain shipments and energy infrastructure, but Russia has made no public indication it is ready to agree.
Ukraine has been seeking pauses in attacks on energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping, fearing Russian missile and drone strikes on power and heating facilities this winter. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was ready for a Black Sea maritime truce based on proposals such as those from Egypt, India and Turkey, and was waiting for Russia’s response.
Rubio said energy strikes are central to both countries’ tactical priorities, making a limited deal difficult. France backed moratoriums on attacks against energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea as a first step toward de-escalation. The Kremlin said before the Rubio-Lavrov meeting that there were no prerequisites for wider peace talks, although Russia remained open to them. Wheat importers in Asia, the Middle East and Africa have struggled to secure Black Sea supplies, and global prices have soared.
