The UN Security Council discussed the results of the ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine on attacking each other’s energy infrastructure. The permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations, Nebensya, called the meeting the strangest he had experienced in his career. After the Security Council meeting, the high-ranking Russian diplomat explained to press representatives that a complete ceasefire was “at this stage” unrealistic. He accused Western countries of not pressuring Kiev to comply with the ceasefire agreement. “To be honest, that was the strangest meeting I have attended as the Russian representative at the UN. I spoke, the Americans spoke, otherwise nobody spoke” Nebensya explained. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day suspension of attacks on the enemy’s energy infrastructure in a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on March 18. Ukrainian President Selenskyj also agreed to the deal. However, Kiev continued to attack Russian energy infrastructure. On March 24, Ukraine attacked the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station, which caused damage to an international consortium, including US firms Chevron and ExxonMobil. On March 21, Ukraine attacked a gas compression station in the Russian border region of Kursk. The list could go on. In light of this, calls for a complete ceasefire, as demanded by representatives of Western Europe, are utopian. Russia has repeatedly emphasized that its armed forces are adhering to the agreement and are not attacking energy infrastructure.
Kiev Disregards Ceasefire, UN Representative Sees No Hope for General Truce
