Zelensky says Russia has already violated Trump’s surprise energy ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Russia had already violated the surprise energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump over the weekend.

Trump announced Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to what he described as an “energy ceasefire,” a development that Zelensky said Kyiv did not know about in advance, and one that Moscow has remained tight-lipped about in the hours since.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump said on social media Sunday morning.

Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Russia “launched a targeted strike on a power plant in Kharkiv, causing further damage to our energy system,” Zelensky said. Despite the fresh attacks, the Ukrainian leader vowed to abide by the new agreement, if Russia does too.

“We agree if they agree, and we have already shown that we mean it. Last night, Russian oil refineries were not burning, but at midnight, a Russian jet-powered Shahed struck a gas production facility in Ukraine,” Zelensky said at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, where he spoke via video link.

CNN has reached out to the White House for information on how the agreement was reached and what the next steps may be.

When asked about Trump and Zelensky’s comments on Monday, the Kremlin said that “contacts are ongoing,” without providing any further details. “I have nothing to add on this subject,” Kremlin ‌spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

After the announcement, Zelensky wrote on X that he had talked to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about the news.

“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side,” Zelensky wrote Sunday. “For our part, Ukraine always FULLY supports steps toward de-escalation, the protection of lives, and the decisions needed to end the war and guarantee lasting peace.”

Trump’s US-Russia diesel deal comes under fire

The announcement comes days after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two announced a controversial deal to supply markets with Russian diesel fuel.

That deal induced bipartisan blowback, with lawmakers warning that the administration was defying a federal law meant to crack down on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

Seven senators, including four Republicans, released a statement over the weekend asking the administration to “reverse course” and strike its plan to supply markets with Russian diesel.

“Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine,” the statement read. “Congress was clear: the U.S. should not import oil from Russia until it ends its aggression against Ukraine and ceases threats against our NATO Allies.”

“President Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports to the U.S. runs directly counter to that law,” it continued.

Talks with top Ukrainian and US officials, including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff, got underway in Miami as the diesel deal was announced Friday, but Zelensky criticized the diesel news, saying the move would prolong the war.

Trump responded by suggesting Ukraine should “get a new leader who can make a deal.”

Asked about these comments on Monday, Zelensky ruled out fresh elections in Ukraine while the war continues. “From a security standpoint, that’s completely impossible. We have attacks day and night,” he said.

It was not immediately clear what led to the Sunday announcement. In an interview earlier on Sunday, Zelensky also called for a ceasefire.

“OK, if they want energy ceasefire, we are open for this,” Zelensky said about Russia during an interview with ABC News. “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children. We will stop attacking your diesel. And I think it’s fair, fair deal.”

Energy infrastructure has been one of the key targets of Russian attacks since the first months of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukraine later began targeting Russian oil refining facilities using domestically made drones to strike deep inside Russia. In recent months, both sides have escalated the aerial war as front lines remain largely stagnant.

Trump has expressed frustration about Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy sites. But there have still been several in the past week, with Kyiv viewing them as an essential part of the Kremlin’s war machine.

Ukraine seeking further clarity

Zelensky said Sunday that Russia continued to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, including a power plant in Kyiv and energy facilities in the Kharkiv region.

“And all of this happened AFTER the President of the United States made his statement about an energy ceasefire,” he posted on X.

The Ukrainian leader repeated that assertion on Monday, saying “there were Russian violations of the energy ceasefire announced by President Trump.”

“It is clear that Putin does not read Truth Social,” he added.

A source close to Zelensky told CNN that Ukraine was not attacking Russian oil refineries while it waits for further clarity about the ceasefire from the US side.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Mark Carney is the Prime Minister of Canada.

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