Not being able to move oil around and sell it is a big minus for Russia’s budget – more than 100 billion a year. This year it will be even more, 150 billion. We never attack first. Our tactic is to respond where we can because Putin doesn’t respect and won’t even think of negotiating with weaklings.

When Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were here, they proposed thinking about refineries and other energy. I told them we are ready for an energy ceasefire, but you need to know what that means for Ukraine. For Putin, energy is selling oil and gas. For us, energy is having electricity and gas supplies for our people. My message was: If the Russians are ready for an energy ceasefire, it means no strikes of any kind with any type of weapon on energy.

If we speak about grain and agriculture, then no blockade on agricultural exports, because this is about food security for many people on other continents. Russia has up to 70 million tons of agricultural products to sell, and Ukraine needs to sell around 30 million. It’s in their interest too.

If they say, “We don’t attack these facilities,” they have to put a list of their facilities on the table – the ones they don’t want us to attack. Even during the war, you can find some moments to de-escalate. If you negotiate, that means you are showing your goodwill, or political will, to end the war.

From an interview with CBS.