US President Donald Trump said on Oct 11 that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to an “energy ceasefire” effective immediately.
“Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” he wrote on social media.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the news outlet Axios that he was not aware of any “energy ceasefire” between Ukraine and Russia, but added that if Moscow agreed to such a ceasefire, Kyiv would accept 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 was quoted as saying by Axios.
The day before, Trump had again demanded that Zelensky halt attacks on Russian oil refineries and suggested he consider stepping aside as the country’s leader.
At the same time, Trump has been facing strong criticism for a deal he struck with Russia on Moscow’s diesel exports.
Trump’s announcement on Oct 11 came shortly after Zelensky, in an interview on ABC’s This Week, called on Trump to put more pressure on Russia to end the war.
“Russia doesn’t feel real pressure; they want to continue,” Zelensky said, adding that he had conveyed to Trump and his team that Ukraine is ready for a ceasefire. “We are ready to begin from any kind of steps of de-escalation.”
That includes an “energy ceasefire” if Russia agrees to similar steps, he said. “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children,” Zelensky said. “We will stop attacking your diesel.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for more details on the ceasefire.
Zelensky and Trump have clashed in recent days after Trump’s announcement that he was working with Russian President Vladimir Putin to release some diesel fuel into the global markets.
The decision – which required a Treasury waiver to lift sanctions – has drawn bipartisan criticism in the US and was assailed by Zelensky as giving Russia more resources to continue the war. BLOOMBERG, REUTERS