Zelenskyy Accuses Russia of Violating Trump-Brokered 'Energy Ceasefire'
Theo Al Jazeera
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of violating the energy ceasefire unilaterally announced by US President Donald Trump, warning of retaliation if strikes continue. European leaders backed his assessment that the truce has yet to take hold, while the EU rolled out nearly 1,600 new sanctions against Russia's defense industry.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of violating the "energy ceasefire" that US President Donald Trump announced unilaterally over the weekend, pledging to respond if attacks continue.
Speaking by video link at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, the Ukrainian leader called on the United States to step in and ensure Moscow honors the truce, noting there had already been "violations on the Russian side of the energy ceasefire announced by President Trump."
"We are waiting for the details of the conditions between the Americans and the Russians, and to see what concrete steps the Americans are ready to take," Zelenskyy said, expressing surprise at the ceasefire arrangement.
"This energy ceasefire could work and could become a big step toward ending the war if the Americans really get involved right now and guarantee that the Russians respect it… If Russia does not agree to an energy ceasefire, we will respond," Zelenskyy said at the Warsaw Security Forum.
Trump's announcement on Sunday that the two countries had agreed to an "energy ceasefire" caused confusion. It came two days after Trump declared a temporary easing of US sanctions on Russian diesel, drawing angry reactions from European allies and Kyiv, who argued it would only encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Both Ukraine and Russia have for months carried out mutual strikes on each other's energy infrastructure, adding upward pressure on global energy prices that had already risen amid the war between the US-Israel and Iran.
According to Axios, Zelenskyy initially denied knowing about the deal and said it was "news to him."
Trump has previously used his Truth Social account to announce ceasefires or other agreements before Kyiv or Moscow confirmed them.
"An energy ceasefire and other steps to de-escalate and guarantee real security are needed here in reality, not just on Truth Social," Zelenskyy added.
European leaders expressed encouragement at the ceasefire proposal but agreed with Zelenskyy that it had not yet taken effect.
"I have not seen, in the past 48 hours, any energy ceasefire coming from the Russian side," French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters at a car show in Paris.
At the Warsaw Security Forum, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that "Russia is not interested in a ceasefire, de-escalation or peace… which is why I will go to Brussels to urge all European partners to consider strengthening sanctions."
In Brussels, the European Union announced it had formally added nearly 1,600 new sanctions targeting Russia's defense industrial complex, including individuals and entities linked to the four-and-a-half-year war, in a bid to keep pressure on Moscow.
"This is the largest expansion of the sanctions list since Russia began the war," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote online. "Europe once again shows a united front… We are making it significantly harder, slower and more costly for Russia to produce the weapons used to kill Ukrainians," she added.
Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukrainian gas production facilities belonging to state oil and gas company Naftogaz in the Kharkiv region overnight, causing a fire, the company said on Monday.
"The attack damaged critical equipment. Our staff are doing everything to repair the damage as quickly as possible and prevent risks to the stable operation of the energy system," Naftogaz acting CEO Sergii Fedorenko wrote on Telegram.
A day earlier, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready to halt strikes on Russian refineries if Moscow stopped its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
