Trump announces Ukraine energy ceasefire with Russia, surprising Zelensky

KYIV/WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement of an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Oct 11 that he said was “effective immediately”, but Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he was still waiting to see details of the deal.

There was no word from Moscow on the announcement, which followed days of intense pressure from Trump for Ukraine to halt its attacks on Russian oil refineries. He blames those strikes for a rise in diesel prices that is hurting his Republican Party ahead of US midterm elections in November.

In a dramatic deterioration in relations, Trump on Oct 10 warned Zelensky that he had “better damn well stop” attacking Russian refineries, and urged Ukrainians to replace their leader at new elections. Trump said Zelensky had missed several opportunities to strike a deal with Moscow.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Oct 11, Trump unexpectedly announced that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an energy ceasefire, but did not elaborate further.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote.

Rising global fuel prices

Trump, whose war in Iran has been widely blamed for hiking global fuel prices, had previously announced an energy ceasefire in Ukraine in mid-September, although neither side ever confirmed such an agreement had been reached.

A person familiar with the situation said the US had threatened to cut off intelligence sharing with Ukraine as well as weapons procurement under the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) system, as it pressed Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian energy sites.

The US threats were earlier reported by the Financial Times.

The person added that Zelensky was speaking to European leaders about de-escalating the situation with Trump.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zelensky said he had discussed Trump’s announcement with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side,” he said on Telegram.

Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelensky said Russian forces were still launching air attacks on energy infrastructure, including a strike on a joint heating and power plant in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

A Ukrainian official confirmed the attack had taken place after Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire.

Hours earlier, Zelensky had pushed back against US pressure for a unilateral end to Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, repeating his long-standing position that he was willing to do so only if President Vladimir Putin suspended Russian strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure.

Promise of elections

Trump also called for elections in Ukraine, suspended since the 2022 Russian invasion, to which Zelensky responded that he would call a vote if Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.

Zelensky said it was “up to Ukrainians” to choose their leader, but added 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 organise elections,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader rejected that he was to blame 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 Oct 10, Zelensky 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.

Under terms of the deal as described by Trump on Friday, Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to US and ​global markets, equal to about 2.25 million barrels of fuel. The US exports about 1.5 million barrels of diesel per day.

Several US lawmakers also criticised the diesel deal.

US Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said the diesel supply ​deal with Russia may be illegal and will put American lives at risk.

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 Russian President Vladimir 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.

Ukrainian officials reported new Russian attacks on Oct 11, killing three people outside a grocery store in Kharkiv and three in the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk.

Moldova, on Ukraine’s western border, reported a new incursion by what officials said were Russian drones, landing only about 35km from the capital Chisinau.

On Oct 12, 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. REUTERS