Trump Claims Ukraine, Russia Agreed to Halt Energy Infrastructure Strikes

President Donald Trump asserted on September 14 that Ukraine and Russia have reached an agreement to cease strikes on energy targets, despite fuel prices surging globally. In a Truth Social post, Trump stated that Ukraine has pledged not to target Russian energy facilities, while Russia has committed to do the same. However, neither Ukraine nor Russia has confirmed the validity of this purported deal.

In response to Trump's claim, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed uncertainty regarding Russia's willingness to abide by any such agreement. In a Telegram post, Zelensky proposed that if the partners are prepared to ensure Russia's genuine commitment to refraining from striking energy facilities, critical infrastructure, and food transportation, then Ukraine would likewise refrain from such actions.

Zelensky emphasized the necessity of ending the war and suggested that a de-escalation step concerning critical infrastructure could mark the beginning of a path towards peace.

A Ukrainian energy official, speaking anonymously to the Kyiv Independent, affirmed that they were unaware of any such energy ceasefire. This announcement follows a day after Trump directly accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of contributing to the rise in diesel prices worldwide, including in the United States, where the price had reached a record high of $6.23 per gallon ($1.65 per liter) on the weekend.

The escalation in fuel prices is primarily attributed to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, rather than geopolitical tensions in Iran. Trump's war against Iran has reportedly diminished over 20% of Middle Eastern refining capacity, effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, which once transported about a fifth of the global oil supply.

Ukraine has persistently targeted Russian oil infrastructure as part of its broader strategy to disrupt fuel supplies and diminish Moscow's revenue, which Moscow relies on to finance its war against Ukraine. The strike campaign, which has significantly intensified in scale and scope over the past year due to Ukraine's advanced arsenal of long-range drones, serves as a crucial tool of offensive pressure for Kyiv.

While this announcement represents the first time a limited energy truce has been proposed in Russia's war against Ukraine, the notion of both sides halting strikes on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea was previously mentioned multiple times during the ineffective peace talks mediated by the Trump administration during the summer of 2025.

On September 13, Zelensky announced his intention to discuss the cessation of Russian and Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea during an anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York, which could occur during the U.N. General Assembly between September 21-23, contingent upon the presidents' schedules aligning.

These talks would take place amid stalled U.S.-led efforts to broker a comprehensive peace deal, given Russia's insistence on territorial demands.