Trump Declares Energy Ceasefire Between Russia and Ukraine as Strikes Continue

US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy ceasefire effective immediately. He wrote that both parties had agreed and warned them not to break it. The statement offered no details on duration, monitoring, or the precise facilities covered.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the announcement was news to him when it first appeared. He later stated that Ukraine supports the idea and is waiting for details from the American side. He added that Kyiv is ready to stop striking Russian energy infrastructure if Moscow does the same. Hours after Trump's post, Ukrainian officials reported a Russian drone strike on a power plant in Kyiv that caused cuts, followed by attacks on energy facilities in the Kharkiv region. The presidential office said the Kharkiv strike occurred after the announcement.

Moscow has not publicly confirmed any agreement. Russian state media reported the post without quoting officials on the subject. This is not the first time Trump has claimed an energy truce. In mid-September he made a similar announcement that neither side acknowledged, after which attacks resumed.

The claim comes days after Washington and Moscow reached a deal allowing Russia to supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel, roughly 2.25 million barrels, to US and global markets. The Treasury Department issued a temporary waiver on sanctions to facilitate the shipments. Trump has argued the move will help lower fuel prices. Zelenskyy criticised it as a gift to Putin that could fund further fighting. Bipartisan senators in the United States have questioned the legality of the diesel arrangement under existing laws that bar such trade while the war continues.

Trump has also pressed Zelenskyy to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, saying they contribute to higher diesel prices for American consumers. On Saturday he said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, accusing Zelenskyy of missing opportunities to end the war. Zelenskyy responded that he would accept the voters' choice but that security is needed for elections. He has proposed a 60-day full ceasefire so that voting can be organised.

Russia has targeted Ukrainian power plants, heating systems and water facilities throughout the war, aiming to reduce civilian resistance. Ukraine has responded with drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, which Kyiv says are necessary to limit revenue for Moscow's military. European leaders, including Britain's Andy Burnham and officials from France, Canada and the EU, expressed support for Trump's call for an energy ceasefire while noting the need for Russian compliance.

Oil prices moved lower after the announcement, though traders noted the lack of confirmation from either capital. The war has entered its 56th month. Previous unilateral or poorly verified pauses on energy targets have not held. Ukrainian forces reported continued Russian activity on energy sites after the post, while Russian sources described ongoing Ukrainian drone activity inside Russia.

Any durable energy pause would require mechanisms for verification that neither side has outlined. Trump's earlier statements on the subject produced no lasting change in the pattern of strikes. The diesel deal has already drawn criticism inside the United States as a potential source of additional revenue for the Russian war effort. Whether the latest announcement produces a pause or simply another cycle of claim and continued fighting will depend on actions in the days ahead rather than the text of a social media post.