The way Russia will behave in the coming days will show a lot, if not all - the President's address

It is very important that the Security Service of Ukraine has become a truly combat special service. Today I celebrated the warriors with state awards - I thanked them personally. Today there was also a report by the head of Syrsky - Front, Kursk Operation, our results. I am grateful to all units for stability. These days are done some very needed things on the front. Thank you, warriors. We need Ukraine's strong positions in this - in everything from the battlefield. Diplomacy also needs strong.

Today, I am in touch with the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, the head of our technical delegation in negotiations in Saudi Arabia. There were good meetings with the American side yesterday and today. I want to thank Saudi Arabia and the hereditary prince for mediation and hospitality - everything went at a high level. There are arrangements, and quite specific.

It is agreed with the US side that the ceasefire of our energy can begin today - we believe that after publishing the relevant statement on the results of meetings and all teams of teams today can be moved to silence on energy. The teams also discussed how to return more security to the Black Sea, normal navigation.

For Ukraine, it is fundamentally important to liberate our people from Russian captivity: military, our civilians, as well as our children, who are forcibly exported by Russian invaders. I am grateful to America for their willingness to help in these humanitarian issues, and this is recorded in our statement with the US side. Ukraine is ready to work as quickly and absolutely transparently for the end of the war.

But, unfortunately, now, just today, just on the day of negotiations, we see how the Russians have already started manipulating. They are already trying to distort the arrangements and actually deceive our intermediaries and the whole world. There are absolutely clear statements published by the White House. Everyone can see what is stated there.

And there is something that the Kremlin is lying again: that the silence in the Black Sea depends on the question of the sanction and that the date of start of silence about energy is March 18. Moscow is always lying. And it depends on the world - on everyone who really needs peace - whether Moscow will be lying again. We will do everything in Ukraine to make the arrangements work and there are no blows.

But the Russians need to know and need to be aware: if they strike, they will receive a strong answer. And the responsibility will be for them. And if the Russians then tell the fables that the blows were not on energy or civilian infrastructure, everyone will see everything. And I would like to remind you that since March 11 on the table, America's proposal for a complete and unconditional ceasefire is everywhere, not just about the energy and in the Black Sea. It was Russia who disagreed it.

It is the Russian position that delay this war. Then, when Putin did not say "yes" to the unconditional cessation of fire, there was no new sanctions against Russia. Now Moscow is demanding something there for the removal of some sanctions, although for three years he says that sanctions are allegedly not terrible and even useful.

But if this arrangement does not work, if the Russians do not fulfill the conditions of today's arrangements and try to press again on America, on Europe, Ukraine, then the answer, I think, should be one: exactly new sanctions, exactly more pressure. The way Russia will behave in the coming days will show a lot if not all. If again air anxiety, if again military activity in the Black Sea, if again Russian manipulations and threats, you will need to take new measures - against Moscow.