Following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, 12 October, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Russia to agree to a ceasefire covering energy infrastructure. Merz noted in a statement that the two leaders had discussed ongoing airstrikes directed at civilian targets and Ukraine's power grid.
Writing on X, Merz set out a position he and Zelensky held in common — that any forward movement toward ending the hostilities depended on acceptance of a ceasefire covering energy infrastructure — while the German government's official account of the talks placed the responsibility for the next step in that area with Moscow.
At a meeting in Berlin, Merz pledged continued German backing for Ukraine, while Zelensky expressed gratitude for the arms deliveries and assistance directed at the country's energy infrastructure ahead of the cold-weather months.
A statement issued by former US President Donald Trump on Sunday described an energy ceasefire between the two countries at war, though neither Kyiv nor Moscow issued any response confirming the arrangement. Strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure persisted after the announcement, leading Zelensky to raise doubts about whether any agreement would hold. The Ukrainian leader stated that such actions reflected a pattern of behaviour he had come to associate with reduced international pressure on Moscow.
Zelensky conveyed, through the Ukrainian presidency, that adherence to principled conduct remained a matter of real consequence for Europe going forward. Six Ukrainian energy installations — a gas-production facility among them, along with other infrastructure — sustained strikes over the course of a single day, Zelensky stated, with the announcement from Washington arriving during that same period.
Kyiv has put forward a standing proposal to halt drone and missile strikes on Russian oil refineries and fuel export terminals, contingent on Moscow ending its bombardment of Ukrainian power plants and the broader electricity network.
At the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, Zelensky urged both European nations and the United States to apply greater pressure on Russia toward achieving an authentic halt to hostilities. He put forward the view that easing pressure on Moscow would open the door to further escalation.
Talks between the two leaders extended to the diplomatic path toward an enduring peace, with both sides committing to stay in close contact with partners across Europe and the transatlantic alliance. The Ukrainian presidency reported that Merz indicated Germany was taking steps to arrange a new gathering of the Coalition of the Willing, a group focused on coordinating support and potential post-war security assurances for Ukraine.
A gathering of national security advisers in the E3–Ukraine format — drawing in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine — was among the outcomes Merz and Zelensky agreed upon during their talks. The discussions also touched on how Ukraine has managed to keep its economy running even as attacks on power and heating infrastructure have continued into the colder part of the year.
