Zelenskyy says Russia is violating Trump's announced energy ceasefire

Analysis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Monday of violating an energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Kyiv had not been consulted about the purported agreement.

"We did not know about that. We've learned that from the media as well, that the president of the United States has secured an energy ceasefire," Zelenskyy said at the Warsaw Security Forum.

READ MORE: Zelenskyy backs Trump's 'energy ceasefire' as Kyiv awaits details and Russian strikes continue

READ MORE: Carney thanks Trump for Ukraine energy ceasefire but slams U.S. diesel deal with Russia

He questioned whether Moscow had agreed to the proposal at all, saying he had seen neither a public endorsement from Russia nor any let-up in its attacks.

"We have not seen that they support this ceasefire anywhere," he said, pointing to continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities.

Large parts of Kyiv were without electricity and water when Trump made his announcement, as repair crews struggled to restore power following Russian strikes.

Shortly afterwards, Russia launched another targeted attack on a power plant in Kharkiv, Zelenskyy said. A Ukrainian official confirmed the attack had taken place after Trump's announcement.

"It was clear that Putin does not read Truth Social," he remarked, referring to Trump's social media platform.

Zelenskyy also accused Russia of striking a Ukrainian gas production facility and a petrol station overnight, while Ukraine had refrained from attacking Russian oil refineries.

Trump had declared on Truth Social Sunday that an "energy ceasefire" was effective immediately and that both sides had agreed. "Do not break it!" he wrote.

The White House has not clarified the post or added detail, and the Kremlin did not provide comment.

Zelenskyy said he discussed the announcement with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

"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 on 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."

Reciprocal offer and political pressure

Zelenskyy said Kyiv remained willing to observe a reciprocal halt to strikes on energy infrastructure.

"We are ready to respect an energy ceasefire if Russia is ready to do the same. We agree if they agree," he said.

He offered to sign formal guarantees if Washington considered them necessary, but stressed the U.S. would have to secure Moscow's compliance.

He had made a similar offer in an interview with ABC's "This Week" that aired Sunday, saying Ukraine was ready to stop striking Russian refineries if Moscow halted its attacks.

The announcement follows days of mounting tension, beginning Friday when Trump revealed a deal with Vladimir Putin to supply Russian diesel to U.S. and global markets.

The U.S. Treasury issued a six-month licence easing sanctions on Russian diesel already loaded onto tankers, allowing deliveries until April 2027.

The move drew criticism from European leaders and U.S. lawmakers, including a bipartisan group of senators who warned it could provide Moscow with fresh revenues to finance its war.

In a readout from the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday, Carney told Zelenskyy that Canada believes the Trump-proposed diesel deal with Russia is "in direct opposition" to the goal of supporting Ukraine.

Trump, whose war in Iran has been blamed for high diesel prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, then blamed Ukrainian strikes for rising fuel costs.

On Saturday, he suggested Ukraine needed a new president, accusing Zelenskyy of obstructing peace efforts and warning he had "better damn well stop" attacking Russian refineries.

In response, Zelenskyy said Ukraine could hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, though Ukrainian law prohibits elections under martial law.

"Give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections," Zelenskyy told ABC, adding it was "up to Ukrainians" to choose their leader.

He said voting was impossible under current security conditions. "From a security standpoint, that's completely impossible. We have attacks day and night," he said in Warsaw.

Calls for American pressure, not concessions

In Warsaw, Zelenskyy made a pointed appeal for Washington to change its approach.

"We need American pressure on Russia, not sanctions relief, not concessions, but real pressure," he said.

He argued Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries and exports were a response to Moscow's sustained campaign against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

He also warned that Ukrainian intelligence had uncovered further Russian plans to destabilise European countries through hybrid operations.

"Our intelligence services know that Russia is planning many, many aggressive hybrid operations against Europe, against different countries, against your countries," he told the forum.

Zelenskyy called for continued military assistance, including ammunition for F-16 jets, air-defence interceptors and funding for domestic weapons and drone production.

He urged European leaders to prevent delays in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations.

"Please do not allow any pauses in Ukraine's European integration," he said, adding that Kyiv expected to open two negotiating clusters and wanted another two opened by year's end.

He concluded by urging that de-escalation and credible security guarantees be achieved "in reality, not just on Truth Social."

On Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha is due to participate in a European Union foreign affairs council meeting expected to discuss increasing sanctions pressure on Russia and advancing negotiations on Ukraine’s EU accession.

With files from CBC News and Global News