Who is escalating? Zelenskyy versus Putin

Zelenskyy says Putin will talk about peace, keep attacking and blame Ukraine; he calls for an energy truce as a first stage. Putin says Ukraine started the escalation and must feel Russia’s retaliatory strikes. He nevertheless leaves a ceasefire and renewed talks possible, subject to Russia’s interests. Two competing explanations for the continued strikes, with each speaker’s accusations kept as claims. Zelenskyy’s September 22 Ukrinform briefing uses the source’s English auto-dubbed track; Putin’s September 25 remarks are carried by Vremya. Separate recordings; neither establishes an agreed truce.

Sep 25

Answering reporters after the September 25 United Cultures Forum, Vladimir Putin says renewed negotiations and partial ceasefires remain possible but sets no date or venue and makes no acceptance announcement. Asked when Russia–U.S.–Ukraine talks might resume after the Duma election, he says Ukraine had signaled readiness before voting, then alleges attacks toward Moscow, on election workers, St. Petersburg's port, refineries, shipping and commercial warehouses. He attributes renewed Ukrainian interest in energy, air and Black Sea restraint to damaging Russian retaliation, and says decisions will follow Russian interests. These explanations, attack figures and claims about the effectiveness of Geran drones are Putin's account, not independently established findings. The correspondent recalls a February 17 round and attributes the subsequent pause chiefly to the Middle East conflict. Oman TV's October 2 brief reprises his claim that election-period Ukrainian drone attacks made resuming talks harder, including his Moscow drone figure and polling-station allegations. This is an attributed synopsis of the September 25 answer, not evidence of a new October 2 statement or a newly agreed negotiating round.