Trump Announces Russia-Ukraine Energy Ceasefire, Catches Kyiv Off Guard

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to what he described as an “energy ceasefire,” a claim that appeared to catch Kyiv off guard.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday morning. “Both parties have agreed. Do not break it! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Kyiv learns of it from social media

Ukrainian officials said they had no advance notice of the announcement. A source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the news came as a surprise, and another Ukrainian official told CNN: “We just read it as you did.”

Zelensky told Axios’ Barak Ravid that the announcement was “news” to him, but said Ukraine would go along if Moscow did. “But if Russians agree to an energy cease-fire Ukraine will agree,” he said. “If President Trump negotiated it with Putin — please tell us when the cease-fire begins — we are ready and we will accept it.”

After the announcement, Zelensky wrote on X that he had spoken with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about the news. “Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well,” he wrote. “We are awaiting details from the American side.”

Zelensky also said Russia continued to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure after Trump’s announcement, including a power plant in Kyiv and facilities in the Kharkiv region. “And all of this happened AFTER the President of the United States made his statement about an energy ceasefire,” he posted on X.

The diesel deal backdrop

The announcement comes days after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and unveiled a controversial agreement to buy Russian diesel, a move that drew bipartisan criticism in Washington and anger in Kyiv. According to the New York Post, Trump said the U.S. planned to purchase 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, 500,000 tons in November and 1,000,000 tons afterward. Zelensky called the deal a “betrayal” that would prolong the war, and Trump responded by suggesting Ukraine should “get a new leader who can make a deal.”

Talks between top Ukrainian and U.S. officials — including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff — got underway in Miami on Friday as the diesel deal was announced, according to CNN.

Trump did not say how the ceasefire was negotiated or how long it was expected to last, and the Kremlin did not immediately confirm the agreement. In an interview with ABC News’ “This Week” that aired Sunday before Trump’s post, Zelensky had said he was open to a truce on energy targets. “OK, if they want energy ceasefire, we are open for this,” he said. “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children. We will stop attacking your diesel. And I think it’s fair, fair deal.”

Reporting based on coverage by CNN and the New York Post.