Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Monday that he stands by a ceasefire proposal conveyed to Russia through the United States, which calls for both sides to stop striking energy infrastructure.

In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said, "If Russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we will be ready to respond in kind." He emphasized that Ukraine would reciprocate if Moscow halts such attacks. The proposal builds on an earlier offer for a ceasefire during Orthodox Easter, which falls on April 12.

Russia has shown little interest in the initiative. Moscow reacted coolly last week, preferring a comprehensive peace deal over temporary truces, and responded to the Easter proposal with a large-scale drone attack involving over 700 Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Zelenskiy noted, "We have repeatedly proposed to Russia a ceasefire at least for Easter, a special time of the year. But for them, all times are the same. Nothing is sacred."

Recent Russian strikes have targeted Ukraine's energy sector, causing power outages in regions including Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy, and Odesa oblasts. An overnight attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa killed three people. Ukraine has continued long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities, such as the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Bashkortostan.

The proposal comes amid paused trilateral peace talks involving the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia, though Moscow maintains contact with Washington. Zelenskiy highlighted ongoing discussions with U.S. negotiators on security guarantees, which he described as essential for any lasting peace.

Russia has consistently rejected Ukrainian ceasefire offers, including the Easter truce, viewing them as opportunities for Kyiv to rearm. Ukrainian officials have accused Moscow of escalation despite diplomatic overtures.

Zelenskiy's firm stance underscores Ukraine's position that any de-escalation must be reciprocal and verifiable, amid continued battlefield pressures and international mediation efforts.