Putin hits energy plant hours after landmark Trump talks as Zelenskyy claims Russia has ‘effectively rejected’ ceasefire
by Henry Moore · LBCBy Henry Moore
Russia has targeted a Ukrainian energy plant hours after Putin agreed to stop attacks on crucial infrastructure in landmark talks with Donald Trump.
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It comes as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “effectively rejecting” a ceasefire following Puin’s “historic” talks with Trump.
On Tuesday night, the Kremlin hit the energy infrastructure of Slovyansk, a city of 100,000 people in the Donetsk region, local media reports, leaving much of the city without power.
The attack came just hours after Putin rejected the White House’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, instead agreeing to a 30-day pause on attacks on energy plants and other crucial infrastructure.
Key points from landmark Trump-Putin talks
- Kremlin demands complete halt of US military aid to Kyiv
- White House says ‘movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire’ lasting 30 days
- Russia and Ukraine ‘to exchange prisoners’
- Zelenskyy says Putin's proposals show he is 'not ready' for lasting peace
Ceasefire talks are set to continue on Sunday, according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff, but Zelenskyy has already accused Russia of rejecting any peace plan.
“Unfortunately, there have been hits, specifically on civilian infrastructure,” Mr Zelenskyy wrote on X last night.
“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire.”
The Ukrainian President said he supports the 30-day pause to strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure agreed by the Russian leader and US President Donald Trump.
But, Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine, which was not involved in the 90-minute phone call, needs full transparency before any official agreement is reached.
He told reporters on Tuesday: “We need to understand what the conversation is about. What are the details? And hopefully, we will be fully informed, and our partners will discuss everything with us.”
The Ukrainian leader added: “There are two sides in this war — Russia and Ukraine. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine, in my view, will not be productive.”
Mr Zelenskyy also said he did not believe Ukraine’s allies would stop providing military aid, one of the key conditions Moscow said was needed for a peace deal.
He added that Moscow is seeking to “weaken” Ukraine by attempting to stop the flow of weapons and intelligence, arguing Putin's proposal shows he is not “ready” to end the war.
In a statement, the Kremlin described the talks with President Trump as a "frank exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine."
Its readout of the call stated: "Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to Donald Trump for his desire to help achieve the noble goal of ending hostilities and human losses."
It added: "In the context of the US President's initiative to introduce a 30-day truce, the Russian side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire line of combat contact, the need to stop forced mobilisation in Ukraine and rearm the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"Serious risks associated with the inability to negotiate of the Kyiv regime, which has repeatedly sabotaged and violated the agreements reached, were also noted. Attention was drawn to the barbaric terrorist crimes committed by Ukrainian militants against the civilian population of the Kursk region.
"It was emphasised that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution by political and diplomatic means should be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv."
It said following the call: "Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace.
"The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace."
These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East, it added.
The White House added: “The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.”
It added that Putin and Mr Trump view "the Middle East as a region of potential co-operation to prevent future conflicts".