US President Donald Trump has announced an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, saying both sides have agreed to stop attacks on energy infrastructure. The announcement, however, surprised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said he was waiting for details and stressed that Russia must also honour the proposed truce.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, October 11, without explaining the agreement’s terms or describing how compliance would be monitored.
“Both parties have agreed,” Trump said in his post, urging Russia and Ukraine not to violate the ceasefire.
Neither Moscow nor Kyiv had publicly confirmed a mutually agreed arrangement at the time of the initial announcement. Zelenskyy subsequently said Ukraine supported the ceasefire but was awaiting further information from the US side.
Zelenskyy Says Russia Must Stop Its Attacks
Zelenskyy’s response highlighted uncertainty over whether the announcement had translated into an operational agreement. He said Ukraine was prepared to support a halt to attacks on energy facilities, provided Russia also stopped targeting Ukrainian infrastructure.
The Ukrainian president discussed the announcement with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, according to reports.
In his nightly address, Zelenskyy said Russian attacks were continuing after Trump’s announcement. Ukrainian officials reported strikes affecting energy infrastructure, including a heating and power facility in the Kharkiv region.
The reports raised questions about whether the proposed ceasefire was being observed and whether both governments had agreed on its scope.
An energy ceasefire would be narrower than a comprehensive truce. It would focus on attacks against facilities such as power plants, electricity networks, oil refineries and other infrastructure essential to civilian life and energy supplies. It would not necessarily end fighting elsewhere along the front line.
Trump’s Pressure on Kyiv and Moscow
The announcement came after days of tension between Trump and Zelenskyy over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Trump had urged Kyiv to stop targeting Russian refineries, linking the issue to rising fuel prices. His administration has faced domestic pressure over energy costs ahead of the US midterm elections scheduled for November.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has maintained that Ukraine should not be expected to stop its attacks unilaterally while Russian forces continue striking Ukrainian energy facilities. Kyiv has argued that any arrangement must apply to both sides.
The disagreement has added another layer of strain to relations between Washington and Kyiv as diplomatic efforts to end the war continue.
Russia’s Response Remains Crucial
Moscow’s position is central to whether the announced ceasefire can take effect in practice. Without a clear confirmation from Russia and an agreed mechanism for monitoring attacks, it remains uncertain how the arrangement would be implemented.
The episode also follows an earlier Trump announcement in September about an energy ceasefire that was not confirmed by both sides. Continued attacks after the latest declaration have therefore intensified doubts about whether the new initiative will produce a lasting pause.
For Ukraine, protecting energy infrastructure is particularly important as the country continues to face Russian strikes during the war. For international energy markets, any reduction in attacks on oil and power facilities could ease some supply concerns, although the effect would depend on the scale and duration of the truce.
For now, the key test is whether Russia and Ukraine can establish clear, reciprocal commitments and stop attacks on the energy facilities covered by the proposed arrangement. Until both sides confirm the terms and demonstrate compliance, the announcement should not be treated as proof that a functioning ceasefire is in place.
