Macron wants to propose "double moratorium": no strikes on Russian oil refineries or fighting in Black Sea

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that he is making diplomatic efforts to prevent fuel shortages and therefore wants to propose a "double moratorium" on strikes against energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia and hostilities in the Black Sea.

"You stop the attacks on Russian refineries, and the Russians agree to stop attacking your energy system and civilian infrastructure. And the second moratorium: you stop the hostilities in the Black Sea," Macron said in an interview with French television channels.

Macron stated that his efforts are aimed at easing tensions in the energy market.

He also said that France will work to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for global supplies of oil and other energy resources.

In addition, Paris will call on G7 countries to draw on their strategic oil reserves once again to ease pressure on the energy market.

On 22 September, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, contrary to some public statements from the US side, there had been no attempts during closed-door talks with US President Donald Trump to force Kyiv to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries and other facilities of this kind.

The following day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that reaching an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is a difficult task, but Washington will try to achieve it.