Trump says Kyiv, Moscow agree to stop attacking each other’s energy facilities
by Mike Glenn · The Washington TimesPresident Trump said Sunday that he had brokered an energy infrastructure ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, though it was not clear whether the two warring parties were actually on board.
The Kremlin has not commented on the reported “energy ceasefire,” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Axios that the deal was “news for me.”
Mr. Trump made the announcement of an end to the tit-for-tat campaign in which Moscow has repeatedly struck the Ukrainian energy grid with missiles while Kyiv has targeted Russian oil refineries using drone swarms.
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“Effective immediately, there is an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine,” he said Sunday on social media. “Both parties have agreed. Do not break it.”
Although Mr. Zelenskyy said he was not aware of the ceasefire, he called it “good news for everyone” on Sunday.
“It is important that it becomes reality. Unfortunately, Ukrainian skies have been infested with Russian Shaheds all day today,” he said, referring to the Iranian-designed kamikaze drones. “There have been glide bomb strikes and strikes on our energy infrastructure too. A power plant from Kharkiv was attacked this evening.”
The agreement was reached a day after Mr. Trump blasted the Ukrainian leader for launching drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, which the president said were disrupting global fuel supplies and driving up gas prices in the U.S. ahead of the midterm elections.
“I suggest [the Ukrainians] get a new leader who can make a deal because [Mr. Zelenskyy] could have made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Mr. Trump said.
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The Ukrainian president said Ukraine has proposed numerous steps to reduce tensions with Moscow.
“Putin has had one answer to all of them: ‘Nyet,’” Mr. Zelenskyy said. “We do hope that he will finally say something to America, Ukraine and the entire world that will lead us to a real and dignified peace.”
Although Mr. Zelenskyy said he is ready to sign on to an energy ceasefire, his Russian counterpart signaled his skepticism last week in an address to the Valdai Discussion Club, a Russian think tank.
Even if the strikes on Moscow’s refineries were halted, the country’s petroleum products would still be unable to reach the global market because of Western sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the audience.
“And in response, we’ll have to stop striking targets that are economically sensitive to [Ukraine],” he said, according to the Ukrainian news site ua.news. “You have to admit, it just looks ridiculous.”
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On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack damaged the data center for Yandex, a Russian technology company, about 120 miles east of Moscow.
“As a result of a [drone] attack, the infrastructure for Yandex’s data center in Vladimir was damaged. The data center’s operation has been completely suspended,” the company said on its Telegram page. “We consider the remaining resource configuration to be unstable. The platform’s operating mode is emergency.”
Mr. Trump struck a deal Friday with Mr. Putin for Moscow to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel fuel initially, followed by additional shipments totaling up to several million tons to the U.S. and global markets.
In exchange, the U.S. Treasury Department issued a temporary waiver that relaxed sanctions on the sale of Russian diesel through April 2027.
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Mr. Zelenskyy said Saturday that the Kremlin interprets any easing of pressure as a signal that it can continue the war on its own terms.
“Russia thanked us for [America] lifting the sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. “As of now, unfortunately, 12 people are known to have been killed, including three children.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski questioned where Moscow can turn on the diesel tap for the U.S. market.
“Our embassy reports fuel shortages even in Moscow, which is always prioritized for supplies. Moreover, serious sources report that Ukraine has already damaged about 50% of Russia’s refining capacity,” he said. “So where will all the surpluses for export come from?”
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House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Minnesota Republican, said Sunday that Mr. Trump was “thinking outside the box” when he negotiated the deal with Russia.
“The American people are hurting because of this world market when it comes to diesel and fuel in general,” Mr. Emmer said on ABC’s “This Week.” “Our president is trying to find every answer possible to help the American people literally move it forward.”
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania Republican, said supporters of Ukraine on Capitol Hill will introduce bipartisan legislation to block any purchase of Russian oil. He said it will be called the “Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act” and predicted that it would pass overwhelmingly.
“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has the overwhelming support of the United States Congress, he has the overwhelming support of the American people, and he has the overwhelming support of the Ukrainian people,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “Russia illegally invaded Ukraine, a sovereign and freedom-loving nation, and Russia is squarely to blame for all damage and destruction, to both lives and treasure, that has resulted from Putin’s unprovoked attack.”
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On Sunday, Mr. Zelenskyy said he spoke about the proposed ceasefire with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia supports it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side,” he said.
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