Trump's 'energy ceasefire' claim welcomed by Zelensky but Russia silent

United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Ukraine and Russia have established an energy ceasefire that took effect immediately, although the Russian government has not commented on the announcement and Ukrainian officials initially indicated they were unaware of it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded that Kyiv would be willing to halt attacks on Russian power and oil facilities if Moscow reciprocated. However, Zelensky said the declaration was news to him when it was first shared, adding that his government was waiting for specific details regarding talks between Washington and Moscow. Zelensky subsequently accused Russian forces of launching drone strikes against an electrical facility in Kyiv and hitting infrastructure in the Kharkiv region after Trump announced the agreement.

The push for a pause in infrastructure attacks comes as Trump seeks to protect a recently agreed arrangement to import Russian diesel into the American and international markets, according to BBC News. That measure, which temporarily lifts restrictions on Russian energy shipments, aims to ease high fuel costs in the US ahead of upcoming midterm elections following global supply pressures linked to conflict involving Iran.

The diesel agreement has drawn strong criticism from multiple international and domestic leaders. Zelensky previously described the sanction relief as a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also voiced objections. In Washington, a bipartisan group of seven senators issued a joint statement asserting that the arrangement directly violates federal legislation prohibiting Russian oil imports.

In response to Ukraine continuing its operations against Russian refineries, Trump criticised Zelensky and suggested that Ukraine should replace its leader. Zelensky indicated he would be willing to schedule presidential elections—which remain halted under wartime constitutional provisions—if Moscow committed to a comprehensive 60-day ceasefire across the entire conflict.

While British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, along with leaders in France, Canada, and the EU, expressed support for a truce targeting power networks, Russian officials have not publicly confirmed any such agreement. Both nations have spent months targeting each other's energy sectors, with Ukraine attempting to undermine Moscow's war revenue and Russia claiming power plants support Kyiv's military operations.

Hostilities elsewhere in the region persisted despite the diplomatic statements. Local officials reported that six individuals lost their lives during attacks across two Ukrainian cities on Sunday, while border regions in Russia and Russian-occupied areas also sustained casualties from drone strikes and shelling.