United States President Donald Trump on Sunday announced an immediate “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, saying both sides had agreed to halt attacks targeting energy infrastructure.
Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform, although there was no immediate confirmation from either Kyiv or Moscow that an agreement had been reached or had taken effect.
“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine.
“Both parties have agreed. Do not break it! Thank you for your attention to this matter.
“President DONALD J. TRUMP”, he wrote.
The announcement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier on Sunday that Kyiv was prepared to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries if Moscow halted attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
However, Zelensky subsequently said Trump’s announcement was news to him, while indicating that Ukraine would accept an energy ceasefire if Russia agreed to it.
“The ceasefire announcement was news for me. But if Russians agree to an energy ceasefire, Ukraine will agree. If President Trump negotiated it with Putin – please tell us when the ceasefire begins – we are ready, and we will accept it,” Zelensky told Axios, according to the news outlet.
The proposed truce follows an escalation in attacks on energy facilities by both sides, with Ukraine targeting Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure while Russia has continued strikes on Ukraine’s power and energy facilities.
The development also comes amid tensions between Trump and Zelensky over US policy towards the conflict.
Trump had earlier criticised Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and suggested that Ukraine should consider new leadership capable of reaching a peace agreement with Moscow.
Trump’s announcement also followed a diesel supply agreement reached between Washington and Moscow, under which Russia agreed to supply diesel to the United States and global markets. The arrangement has drawn criticism from Kyiv, with Zelensky warning that increased Russian energy revenues could help finance Moscow’s war effort.
The Russia-Ukraine war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has repeatedly seen energy infrastructure become a major target, particularly as both sides have sought to weaken the other’s ability to sustain military and civilian operations.
For now, the scope and mechanism of the newly announced “energy ceasefire” remain unclear, particularly given the absence of an immediate public confirmation from the two countries.