Trump Announces a Russia-Ukraine Energy Ceasefire, but Moscow Stays Silent

President Trump announced on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure, effective immediately. “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” he wrote on social media, adding that “both parties have agreed” and warning, “Do not break it!” He gave no details on what the truce covers or how it would be monitored.

Moscow did not immediately confirm any agreement, the Associated Press reported. In Kyiv, the reaction was cautious welcome mixed with surprise. President Volodymyr Zelensky called the announcement “good news for everyone,” the AP reported, while also saying it “was news for me,” according to CBS News.

Zelensky laid out his terms in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire that applies to both sides, he said, and would stop striking Russian oil refineries if Russia stopped attacking Ukraine’s power system. He also said he would hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, while noting that elections under martial law are not lawful in Ukraine and that security guarantees would be needed.

By evening, Zelensky said Russia was still hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and his office confirmed that a power plant in the Kharkiv region was attacked after Trump’s post. According to CBS News, Zelensky said Ukraine’s armed forces had received their orders and that he was awaiting details of the American-Russian contacts.

The announcement capped a turbulent three days. On Friday, Trump agreed with President Vladimir Putin to ease sanctions so that Russian diesel could flow onto world markets, a move Ukrainian and European officials said would help finance Moscow’s war. On Saturday, Trump said Ukraine should get a new leader and blamed its strikes on Russian refineries for high American fuel prices. The AP noted that the war with Iran, which began in February, has also driven up world energy prices.

Trump has tried this before. On Sept. 14 he said both countries had agreed not to hit each other’s energy infrastructure, and nothing came of it, according to the AP.

Allies offered conditional support. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed strong support for an energy ceasefire while condemning the diesel deal, and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Ukraine was ready if Russia stopped its attacks, CBS News reported. Zelensky said he had discussed the development with Carney, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

Supporters of the president’s approach argue that publicly pressing both sides to stop striking power plants and refineries is a practical first step that could also ease strain on world fuel markets. Skeptics say an announcement made without Kyiv’s knowledge, and without Moscow’s confirmation, is not yet an agreement at all.