Trump announces Ukraine-Russia energy ceasefire, Zelensky caught off guard

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed an immediate "energy ceasefire", halting strikes on oil refineries, power plants and other energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the announcement was news to him, but that Kyiv would accept it whenever it starts.

Zelensky surprised but willing to back the deal

Zelensky told the Axios digital news outlet that he had not been consulted before Trump's announcement and described the agreement as "news for me". He said Ukraine would support the arrangement once it takes effect.

The Ukrainian president had earlier rejected a US call for Kyiv to stop bombing oil refineries, arguing that Moscow must first end its own attacks on energy infrastructure. That position leaves open the question of when, and on what terms, any truce would actually begin.

Trump's criticism of Ukraine's leadership

Alongside the ceasefire announcement, Trump said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, claiming Zelensky "wants to make problems for the world". The remark sharpens a public rift between Washington and Kyiv.

Zelensky responded that Russia alone is responsible for the war in Ukraine. He has not indicated that the US criticism would change his willingness to accept the energy truce.

Why this matters for Europe

Europe has backed Ukraine politically and financially since Russia's full-scale invasion, and EU capitals have spent heavily to reduce their own reliance on Russian energy. A halt to strikes on refineries and power plants would ease pressure on a Ukrainian grid that has repeatedly been damaged, and on the wider European energy market that shares its costs.

The fact that the deal was announced in Washington without Kyiv's prior knowledge also raises uncomfortable questions for European governments about how much say they and Ukraine have in decisions that shape the continent's security.

Author’s view

The announcement appears to have been made without consulting Kyiv, and it is unclear whether Moscow has confirmed it or when it would take effect. The episode suggests Washington is setting the terms of the war's next phase largely on its own.