Trump Claims Russia Ukraine Agree to Energy Ceasefire
Washington – US President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine have reached an agreement to halt strikes against each other's energy infrastructure, describing the arrangement as an "energy ceasefire" effective immediately. The announcement came via a brief post on his Truth Social platform, where Trump wrote, "Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" He provided no further details regarding the terms or verification mechanisms of the deal.
The statement followed a period of heightened tension and public friction between the US leader and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Earlier in the day, Trump had criticized Zelenskyy, blaming him for high diesel prices in the United States and suggesting that Ukraine required a new leader. This criticism occurred amidst a dispute over a recent US decision to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports, which Zelenskyy had strongly denounced.
In response to Trump's declaration, Zelenskyy told Axios that he had not been informed of the agreement beforehand. "It was news for me," the Ukrainian president said. However, he indicated a willingness to comply if Moscow honored its part of the bargain. "But if Russians agree to an energy ceasefire, Ukraine will agree," Zelenskyy stated. He further urged transparency regarding the timeline of the truce, adding, "If President Trump negotiated it with Putin, please tell us when the ceasefire begins. We are ready, and we will accept it."
Zelenskyy’s position aligned with comments made earlier on Sunday, where he reiterated that Ukraine would be prepared to stop targeting Russian oil refineries if Russia ceased its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. This conditional offer came in the wake of an escalation in deadly attacks within the ongoing war.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Kremlin regarding the alleged agreement. The situation remains fluid as both sides navigate the diplomatic fallout from Trump's sudden announcement. Additionally, Zelenskyy expanded his peace proposals during the same period, stating that Ukraine could hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day total ceasefire. The lack of direct communication between Kyiv and Moscow prior to Trump's intervention has raised questions about the practical implementation of the proposed energy truce.
This report was produced in the Europe Brief News newsroom.
