Zelenskyy says Russia continues attacks on Ukraine energy targets, violating Trump’s ceasefire claim

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Monday that Russia has continued to target Ukraine's energy facilities, even after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed a day earlier that the countries had agreed upon an energy ceasefire in the ongoing 4 1/2-year war. Zelenskyy, speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland, said Ukraine had become aware through media reports that Trump had reached a deal with Russia to pause strikes on energy sites, involving a mutual truce.

However, he added that he has not heard confirmation of this proposal from Moscow. Trump's brief social media post on Sunday provided little information about the purported agreement, stating that the energy ceasefire took effect immediately and warning against breaking it. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov would not confirm whether Russia had agreed to such a ceasefire, stating only that contacts are ongoing.

Zelenskyy described Ukraine's surprise when Russia struck numerous energy facilities, including a power plant in Kharkiv, a gas production facility, and a civilian gas station, shortly after Trump's announcement. He noted that Putin does not read Truth Social, referring to Trump's social media platform. Energy strikes have caused hardships for both Ukraine and Russia, with Russia using the attacks to deny Ukrainian civilians power, heat, and running water, aiming to wear down public resistance to its full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian officials refer to this strategy as "weaponizing winter" and fear Russia could escalate such attacks as cold weather approaches. In response, Ukraine has launched strikes against Russian energy sites, prompting Trump to blame Zelenskyy for record U.S. diesel prices and to strike a deal with Putin on Friday to import diesel from Russia in an attempt to lower fuel prices before the U.S. midterm elections.

Zelenskyy expressed readiness to comply with Trump's request to halt strikes on Russian refineries if Moscow ceases attacks on Ukraine's energy system and appealed to Trump to press the Kremlin to agree. He warned that if Moscow does not agree to an energy ceasefire this winter, Ukraine will respond. The EU's top diplomat welcomed the prospect of a pause in energy strikes in Ukraine but expressed uncertainty that Russia would respect it.