Trump Claims Russia-Ukraine Energy Truce, but Kyiv Says Start of Deal Remains Unclear
Donald Trump says Moscow and Kyiv agreed to stop energy attacks, while Zelensky says Ukraine is ready if Russia formally joins the truce.
US President Donald Trump has announced what he described as an immediate halt to attacks on energy facilities by Russia and Ukraine, although neither government had publicly confirmed a completed agreement when the report was published.
Trump disclosed the development on Truth Social on Sunday, stating that both sides had accepted an arrangement covering energy targets. His announcement presented the measure as taking effect immediately, but the source said no matching confirmation had initially come from authorities in Kyiv or Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky subsequently indicated that Trump’s declaration had caught him by surprise. He nevertheless said Ukraine was prepared to participate if Russia also accepted the restriction and asked for clarity on when the proposed arrangement was supposed to begin. His response means Kyiv expressed conditional willingness rather than independently confirming that the truce was already operating.
Earlier on Sunday, Zelensky had said Ukraine could stop striking Russian oil refineries if Moscow ended attacks against Ukrainian energy installations. That position provided a potential basis for a limited agreement focused specifically on energy infrastructure rather than a broader cessation of hostilities.
The proposed arrangement follows continued attacks by both sides on energy-related targets. Ukraine has struck Russian refineries and other facilities connected to the energy sector, while Russian forces have continued targeting Ukrainian power and energy infrastructure. The source said such sites have become an important part of the conflict since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
The announcement also came during a period of disagreement between Trump and Zelensky. Trump had criticised Ukrainian attacks against Russian refineries and suggested that Kyiv should consider different political leadership capable of reaching a peace settlement with Moscow. Zelensky has rejected outside attempts to determine Ukraine’s leadership, saying that decision belongs to Ukrainian voters.
Another element of the dispute involves energy trade. Washington and Moscow recently reached an arrangement under which Russia would provide diesel to the United States and international markets. Kyiv has criticised that agreement, with Zelensky warning that additional Russian income from energy sales could contribute to Moscow’s ability to finance the war.
Despite Trump’s declaration, several practical questions remained unanswered in the source report. There was no detailed public explanation of which facilities would fall under the restriction, how alleged breaches would be assessed or what mechanism would be used to enforce compliance.
The immediate significance of Trump’s announcement therefore depends on whether Russia and Ukraine formally adopt and observe the proposed limits. Ukraine has indicated that it is prepared to participate under reciprocal conditions, while the source reported no corresponding confirmation from Moscow at the time of publication.