Kyiv: US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an immediate ceasefire covering energy infrastructure, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had not been informed of the arrangement and was awaiting details from Washington.
However, Trump did not specify the duration of the proposed ceasefire or explain how it would be implemented. There was no immediate confirmation from the Kremlin or the White House.
Speaking to Axios, Zelensky said Trump’s announcement was news to him, but maintained that Ukraine would support the arrangement if Russia agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.
In a separate post on X, the Ukrainian President said he had discussed the announcement with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
However, hours after Trump’s announcement, Zelensky accused Russia of striking a power plant in Kyiv with a Shahed drone, followed by attacks on other energy facilities in the Kharkiv region.
He said the strikes took place after the US President’s statement on the proposed energy ceasefire, raising questions over its immediate implementation.
Earlier, Zelensky had offered to stop Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow halted strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He stressed that any de-escalation measures must be reciprocal and supported by credible guarantees.
The announcement came amid renewed tensions between Washington and Kyiv over the course of the war, which began in 2022.
On Saturday, Trump called for Ukraine to elect a new president, arguing that Zelensky had failed to secure a peace deal with Russia. Ukraine has not held a presidential election since 2019.
In an interview with ABC News, Zelensky pushed back against Trump’s remarks, saying the choice of leadership rested with the Ukrainian people. He also argued that holding elections during wartime would be difficult and require adequate security arrangements.
Zelensky urged Trump to press Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a 60-day ceasefire, which he said would allow Ukraine to organise elections.
The latest diplomatic developments followed a US-Russia arrangement involving Russian diesel exports to global markets in exchange for sanctions relief. Zelensky criticised the move, warning that easing restrictions could provide Moscow with additional resources to intensify its military campaign, while Trump blamed Ukraine for rising fuel prices.
It remains unclear whether the proposed energy ceasefire has been formally agreed upon by both sides or when it would take effect.
