U.S. President Donald Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, prompting a cautious but positive reaction from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Moscow, however, has remained silent on the matter.
Background
Trump asserted that the ceasefire was "effective immediately" but offered no details about its terms. He has been urging Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil facilities, linking the move to a recently‑struck diesel deal that temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian imports.
Zelensky's response
Zelensky initially expressed surprise at the announcement, then indicated that Kyiv would support the ceasefire if Moscow also agreed. He told news site Axios that the ceasefire was "news" to him and wrote on social media that his officials "look forward to clear details of America's dialogue with Russia". In a later statement, he said, "Ukraine is ready not to strike at Russian energy and we count on Russia's similar readiness and on the agreement of the president of the United States of America on this."
Russia's silence
The source text notes that Moscow has not yet commented on the ceasefire claim. While Russian officials have justified strikes on Ukrainian energy sites as "legitimate targets" supporting Ukraine's military, they have offered no public response to Trump's statement.
Broader context
Energy facilities continue to be targeted on both sides:
- Ukrainian forces have struck Russian oil infrastructure, aiming to reduce revenue for Moscow's war effort.
- Russia has hit a power plant in Kyiv with a drone and attacked energy sites in the Kharkiv region, actions Zelensky linked to the timing of Trump's ceasefire claim.
International reactions are mixed. The UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and several European governments expressed support for the ceasefire idea, while the UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas voiced criticism. In the United States, seven senators have warned that the diesel deal and related ceasefire rhetoric conflict with existing bans on Russian energy imports.
Uncertainty
Details of any formal agreement remain unclear, and the lack of a Russian response leaves the feasibility of an actual ceasefire uncertain. Ongoing strikes suggest that, despite diplomatic talk, the conflict over energy infrastructure continues unabated.
