Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he has discussed the possibility of an energy ceasefire with Russia with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte but is waiting for more information from the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump had said in a social media post Sunday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to what he described as an “energy ceasefire” without offering specifics on terms.
In an interview with Axios, Zelenskyy said Trump’s post was the first he had heard of the deal, though a senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Ukraine was ready to agree to such a ceasefire, if Russia was.
In a social media post of his own, the Ukrainian president said he had just spoken with Carney, Stubb and Rutte to discuss the alleged ceasefire announced by Trump.
“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side,” Zelenskyy wrote on X Sunday afternoon. “For our part, Ukraine always FULLY supports steps toward de-escalation, the protection of lives, and the decisions needed to end the war and guarantee lasting peace.”
The announcement comes a day after Trump blamed Zelenskyy for attacking diesel facilities in Russia and contributing to a global shortage. Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly attacked each other’s energy infrastructure during the war.
Trump’s brief post said only that the ceasefire takes effect immediately and that both sides had agreed to it. “Do not break it!” he said in his social media post.
The White House did not immediately clarify the president’s post or add detail. The Kremlin did not provide comment.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with U.S. President Donald Trump during the United Nations General Assembly, on Sept. 22 at the UN headquarters. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/The Associated Press)
Trump, whose war in Iran has been blamed for high diesel prices that are weighing on Republicans’ prospects at next month’s midterm elections, had previously announced an energy ceasefire in Ukraine in mid-September, though neither side ever confirmed such an agreement was reached.
“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Earlier on Sunday, Zelenskyy had repeated Ukraine’s long-standing position that it was willing to halt attacks on Russian refineries, but only if Moscow ceased its own strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure.
Any such deal would need to come with “real guarantees,” Zelenskyy said.
“The real cause of the war in Europe is Russia and Russia alone,” Zelenskyy said. “It’s possible to stop strikes on energy infrastructure as early as today, but Putin does not want to do so.”
Promise of elections
In a dramatic deterioration in their relations, Trump on Saturday had warned Zelenskyy that he had “better damn well stop” attacking Russian refineries, and he urged Ukrainians to replace Zelenskyy as their leader via new elections because he had missed several opportunities to strike a deal with Moscow.
Appearing on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, Zelenskyy responded that he would organize elections in Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.
Zelenskyy said it was “up to Ukrainians” to choose their leader, but noted that there needed to be an end to the fighting first. Ukrainian law prohibits elections under martial law for security reasons.
“Please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader rejected being blamed for energy price rises, adding that “everybody in the world” knew that the war in the Middle East was a bigger factor.
The steep rise in global diesel prices, which followed the outbreak of the Iran war in February, has become a political liability for Trump’s Republican Party ahead of the midterms, when opposition Democrats could gain control of one or both houses of Congress.
On Saturday, Zelenskyy had responded angrily to Trump’s announcement of a diesel supply deal with Russia, saying it would embolden Moscow’s attacks on Ukraine and lead to a greater loss of civilian lives.
WATCH | Trump brokers deal to buy Russian diesel:
Trump reverses course on Russian oil sanctions
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a deal to import Russian diesel as fuel prices soar, reversing course on sanctions against Moscow. Ukraine is condemning the move, warning it will directly benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Analysts said Trump’s diesel supply agreement with Moscow was unlikely to lead to sustained lower fuel prices as the volumes involved were too small.
The diesel deal was also criticized by U.S. lawmakers, including one of Trump’s fellow Republicans, Rep. Don Bacon, who said it was time to apply more sanctions, not lift them.
Kyiv residents angry
On the streets of Kyiv, several residents expressed anger at Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine should find a new leader willing to make a deal with Putin.
“No one has the right to tell us what to do, especially since elections cannot be held during wartime,” said Sabina, a 40-year-old primary school teacher. “In my view, it is a betrayal by our partners,” she said, describing Trump’s remarks.
Zelenskyy said he would continue discussions with European leaders on Sunday, and there were daily conversations around additional air defence packages, including ammunition for combat aircraft that are used to down Russia’s jet-powered drones.
On Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is due to participate in a European Union foreign affairs council meeting that is expected to discuss increasing sanctions pressure on Russia and advancing negotiations on Ukraine’s EU accession.