Violation of the Energy Ceasefire Agreement: Zelenskyy Appeals for Increased U.S. Sanctions on Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the U.S. to increase sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, April 1, accusing Moscow of violating the energy facility ceasefire agreement announced by the U.S. last week. Russia, in turn, accused Ukraine of violating the commitment to cease hostilities at energy facilities and submitted a "detailed list" of Ukraine's violations to the U.S. The U.S. and Ukraine continued negotiations over mineral resources.

According to AFP, Zelenskyy stated at a press conference on Tuesday that "sanctions must be strengthened now because Russia is violating its commitments to the U.S." Zelenskyy claimed that Kyiv had provided Washington with relevant information proving Russian military attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities.

Zelenskyy said, "The U.S. has begun paying attention to this issue." He also urged the Trump administration to "increase economic sanctions on Russia" to fundamentally weaken the Kremlin's financial strength.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Sybiha said on Tuesday that Russian attacks on the southern city of Kherson left 45,000 residents without power.

In his speech, Zelenskyy emphasized the need to "monitor" the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, calling it "critical."

Moscow Accuses Ukraine of Violating the Agreement

Meanwhile, Moscow accused Ukraine of breaching the ceasefire commitment brokered by the U.S. The Kremlin insisted that since Russian President Vladimir Putin officially ordered the cessation of attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities on March 18, the Russian military has strictly adhered to the order.

Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that Ukrainian forces attacked an energy facility in Belgorod, a border region between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia had submitted a "detailed list" of Ukraine's violations of the ceasefire agreement to U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Rubio.

At the Russian Security Council meeting on the same day, Defense Minister Borisov reported to Putin that Ukraine had not complied with the ceasefire agreement, and Lavrov subsequently informed the media of the relevant information.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, the conflict has caused tens of thousands of casualties and severely damaged Ukraine's infrastructure, particularly its energy networks.

The U.S. and Ukraine Continue Negotiations on Mineral Resources

Additionally, the U.S. and Ukraine are negotiating an agreement on the development of Ukraine's mineral resources, which is one of the priorities for Trump since his return to the White House in January this year.

The Trump administration hopes to quickly reach an agreement in exchange for U.S. military and financial support for Ukraine.

Ukraine said on Tuesday that further consultations were needed. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha pointed out that Kyiv hoped to reach an agreement that was "acceptable to both sides," rather than simply accepting American terms. Previously, some domestic Ukrainian politicians and media criticized the U.S. proposal as being extremely disadvantageous to Kyiv.

Sybiha said, "Increasing U.S. investment in Ukraine is crucial, and we will continue to cooperate with the U.S. to strive for an acceptable agreement text for both parties."

Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828242161489024/

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