Russia backs Trump's idea of energy ceasefire with Ukraine

Russia on Tuesday backed US President Donald Trump’s idea of an energy ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.

Speaking at a press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow remains in contact with Washington on the initiative.

“We certainly consider it a very good idea overall,” he said. “We are in contact with the Americans. We will continue communicating with them.”

Peskov emphasized that an energy truce and measures to ensure the safe operation of oil refineries alone would not resolve the main problem affecting global oil product markets.

“Ensuring the safe operation of refineries and increasing production of petroleum products does not solve global problems. The main problem is the export of petroleum products to world markets,” he said.

According to him, Russia was carrying out comprehensive measures to protect refineries and other energy facilities, adding that the domestic market was “close to being fully saturated.”

Removal of sanctions

Peskov also called for the removal of sanctions on energy supplies, saying this would help increase the availability of petroleum products on global markets and push prices lower.

“We can saturate, and we will saturate, and are saturating the domestic market,” he said. “But as for the global market, the issue is not production.”

The official further said that wider access for Russian petroleum products to international markets would also require safe commercial navigation for oil tankers.

However, he said Kyiv was unwilling to provide such guarantees, noting that Russian and other foreign vessels had been affected and people of various nationalities killed

On a possible resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, Peskov said Moscow could consider it if deliveries were economically beneficial and sufficient volumes were available.

Asked about reports that Russia’s ambassador to Denmark had been summoned over an incident involving a Danish military helicopter, Peskov declined to comment, saying he did not have the details.

The Danish Defense Ministry has alleged that signal flares were fired toward a Danish military helicopter from a Russian frigate operating in international waters.

Responding to remarks by US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink that the US has orbital weapons capable of controlling space, Peskov said Russia would continue promoting its position against the deployment of weapons in outer space and would seek broad international support for the complete demilitarization of space.

“We believe that space should remain free of weapons,” he said.