President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop striking energy infrastructure immediately, but Moscow did not publicly confirm the arrangement and Ukraine reported that Russian attacks continued afterward.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the proposal while saying Kyiv was prepared to stop attacking Russian energy facilities only if Russia did the same. He reported Russian drones, glide bombs and strikes on energy infrastructure in Kyiv and Kharkiv, including an attack on a power plant after Trump’s announcement.
The Kremlin’s initial public response was limited. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said contacts were continuing, while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed Zelenskyy’s call for a pause as an effort to advance his own interests and said Ukraine did not deserve a respite. Moscow has repeatedly said it wants a comprehensive and lasting settlement rather than a temporary halt.
The energy dispute is tied to a wider campaign against fuel infrastructure. Ukrainian strikes have damaged Russian refineries, terminals and other oil facilities, while Russian attacks have repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power system. The damage has contributed to fuel shortages in Russia, although Russian officials have said domestic supplies can meet demand while exports continue.
The announcement also came after Trump reached a diesel agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticized Zelenskyy, saying Ukraine should have a new president. Zelenskyy responded that Ukraine could organize elections if Russia accepted a 60-day ceasefire, but Ukrainian elections remain barred under martial law and would face major security and logistical obstacles.
Peskov said Putin could order a halt specifically on election day, rather than accept the longer pause Kyiv requested. That gap reflects the central uncertainty over the energy arrangement: Washington described an immediate mutual ceasefire, while Moscow has not clearly accepted the same terms and Russian attacks were still being reported.