Ukraine has declared a state of emergency in its energy sector after sustained Russian attacks severely damaged power and heating infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy said the move would give authorities greater flexibility to address widespread electricity disruptions, particularly in Kyiv, where repairs are ongoing after strikes last week. Freezing temperatures, with night-time lows nearing minus 20 degrees Celsius, have worsened conditions for residents.
In a statement on social media, Zelenskyy said the consequences of the attacks and harsh weather were “severe” and required urgent action. He later said the emergency would allow faster decision-making to restore power, expand heating centres and, where possible, ease nightly curfews.
The president criticised preparations in Kyiv, saying the capital had done less than other major cities to respond to the crisis.
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, rejected the criticism, saying heating had been restored to most affected buildings and support centres were operating around the clock.
Zelenskyy said a permanent coordination would be set up in Kyiv, overseen by Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal. He also said Ukraine was working to increase electricity imports and called on the military and diplomats to maintain pressure on the battlefield and in international talks.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters that Ukraine - not Russia - is holding up a potential peace deal, rhetoric that stands in marked contrast to that of European allies, who have consistently argued Moscow has little interest in ending its war in Ukraine.
In an exclusive interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to wrap up his nearly four-year-old invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy, the U.S. president said, was more reticent.
"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump said of the Russian president. "I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal."
Asked why U.S.-led negotiations had not yet resolved Europe's largest land conflict since World War Two, Trump responded: "Zelenskyy."
Trump told Reuters he was not aware of a potential upcoming trip to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner, which Bloomberg reported earlier on Wednesday.
Asked if he would meet Zelenskyy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week, Trump said he would but implied no plans were set.
"I would - if he's there," Trump said. "I'm going to be there."
Asked why he believed Zelenskyy was holding back on negotiations, Trump did not elaborate, saying only, "I just think he's, you know, having a hard time getting there."
Zelenskyy has publicly ruled out any territorial concessions to Moscow, saying Kyiv has no right under the country's constitution to give up any land.
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