Trump announces energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine but Moscow stays silent and strikes continue

US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy ceasefire effective immediately. “Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” he wrote. He gave no further details and neither Moscow nor Kyiv confirmed any such agreement beforehand.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the announcement took him by surprise. He later stated that Ukraine supports a ceasefire on energy infrastructure and is waiting for details from Washington. He also reported that Russian drones and missiles continued to strike Ukrainian power plants after Trump’s post, including one in Kyiv and facilities in Kharkiv. One person was killed and eight injured, including a child, in the Kharkiv strike, Ukrainian officials said.

Moscow has not commented. Previous Trump statements about energy truces, including one on 14 September, were followed by continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian power and heating systems. Russia has used attacks on energy infrastructure to deprive Ukrainian civilians of electricity and heat during the winter months of the war, now in its 56th month.

The announcement came two days after Trump said the United States would temporarily ease sanctions to allow Russian diesel exports. Under that arrangement Russia would supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel, roughly 2.25 million barrels, starting this month. It would be the first US import of Russian diesel since March 2022. Trump has argued that Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries have raised US diesel prices and that Kyiv should stop them.

Zelenskyy called the diesel deal a gift to Moscow that would increase revenue for the Russian war effort. He had previously said Ukraine was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy sites if Russia stopped attacking Ukrainian ones. After Trump’s ceasefire post he repeated that readiness and asked for the start time if the deal had been negotiated with Putin.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain strongly supports an energy ceasefire starting now. France, Canada and the European Union also expressed support. Oil prices fell more than one percent on Monday after the announcement, reversing an earlier rise linked to the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Trump has also said it is time for Ukraine to replace Zelenskyy with a leader more willing to settle the war. He has blamed Ukrainian refinery strikes for higher US fuel costs while the United States is engaged in its own conflict with Iran that has affected global energy markets.

Ukrainian forces have struck Russian oil infrastructure repeatedly this year to cut the revenue that funds Russian operations. Russian forces have answered with large drone and missile waves against Ukrainian generating plants and transmission lines. The practical effect of any energy pause would depend on whether both sides stop launches and whether third parties can verify compliance at sites spread across both countries.

As of Monday morning no Russian confirmation had appeared and Ukrainian officials continued to report incoming strikes. The gap between the American statement and the statements from Kyiv and the silence from Moscow leaves the status of the claimed ceasefire unresolved.