Zelenskyy Says Russia Continues Energy Strikes After Trump Announces Ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russian drones and missiles struck energy facilities in Ukraine overnight after US President Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire on Sunday. Zelenskyy spoke at the Warsaw Security Forum and in earlier statements, noting that attacks continued on a power plant in Kharkiv and a gas production site.

Trump posted on Truth Social on 11 October that an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was effective immediately and that both sides had agreed. He gave no further details on the terms or verification. Zelenskyy initially told Axios the announcement was news to him. He later said Ukraine supports the idea and is prepared to stop striking Russian energy targets if Russia stops attacking Ukrainian ones.

Russian strikes on Sunday night into Monday hit a joint heating and power plant in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and other sites. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted dozens of drones overnight. Officials reported civilian deaths and injuries from separate attacks, including a drone strike on a grocery store in Kharkiv that killed three and wounded others earlier in the weekend.

The announcement followed a separate deal Trump reached with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, with larger volumes planned for November and later. The US Treasury authorized temporary sanctions relief to facilitate the shipments. Diesel prices in the United States have risen sharply, with the average above $6 per gallon, partly linked to disruptions from conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine.

Trump has pressed Zelenskyy to end Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, arguing they contribute to higher fuel costs for American consumers. On Saturday he said Ukraine needs a new leader who can make a peace deal and told Zelenskyy to stop the attacks. Zelenskyy responded that Ukraine would organize elections if Putin agreed to a 60-day total ceasefire that provides security for voting.

European leaders expressed support for an energy ceasefire. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain strongly supports Trump's call. Officials from France, Canada, and the European Union also backed the concept. The EU has adopted nearly 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia in recent days. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Ukraine does not deserve a respite for elections.

This is not the first time Trump has claimed an energy truce. A similar announcement in mid-September did not hold. Ukrainian officials say Russian attacks on power infrastructure have continued throughout the war, now in its 56th month. Kyiv has used long-range drones and missiles against Russian refineries to reduce Moscow's revenue.

US officials have warned that continued Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy sites could affect intelligence and weapons support from Washington. A person familiar with the talks said American negotiators reminded Kyiv of the supplies it receives. The diesel deal has drawn bipartisan criticism in the US Senate. Six senators from both parties called the plan contrary to a 2022 law that banned Russian energy imports and urged Trump to reverse course.

Zelenskyy said at the Warsaw forum that Russian refineries were not burning on the night after Trump's post, but a Russian jet-powered Shahed drone hit a Ukrainian gas plant at midnight. He described this as Putin's answer. Parts of Kyiv and other cities lost power. Ukrainian forces received orders consistent with readiness for a ceasefire if Russia reciprocates, according to Zelenskyy.

The practical effect of the claimed ceasefire remains unclear without joint confirmation or monitoring arrangements. No independent verification mechanism has been announced. Energy infrastructure on both sides has been repeatedly targeted since 2022. Russia has damaged Ukrainian generation and transmission capacity, while Ukraine has hit Russian refining capacity that supplies military and export needs.

Global diesel markets react quickly to these developments. Higher prices affect freight, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Iran-related disruption of the Strait of Hormuz has compounded supply tightness. A sustained halt in energy attacks would remove one source of volatility, but past claims have not produced lasting pauses.

Zelenskyy has said Ukraine will honor an energy ceasefire if Russia does. He has also called for a broader 60-day pause to allow elections. Russian statements have rejected the idea that Ukraine deserves such a respite. The next days will show whether either side adjusts its targeting or whether strikes continue as before.

The US has not released the text of any agreement or the sequence of talks that led to Trump's post. Ukrainian officials say they await clear details from the American side. Until those details appear and both capitals confirm them, the status of the energy ceasefire rests on the statements each leader has made so far.