Trump announces 'energy ceasefire' between Russia and Ukraine as Zelenskyy says he was not informed

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday an 'energy ceasefire' between Russia and Ukraine, saying on Truth Social that both parties had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the announcement was 'news to me' and that he had not been informed of a finalized agreement, though he expressed willingness to halt attacks on Russian energy facilities if Moscow reciprocated. Trump also urged Ukraine to hold wartime elections and replace Zelenskyy, blaming him for not ending the war and accusing him of causing rising global fuel prices through Ukraine's long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. The announcement followed a diesel agreement under which Trump temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian diesel and Russia said it had partially lifted a ban on diesel exports.

Zelenskyy accused Russia on Monday of immediately defying the ceasefire with fresh attacks on Kyiv's power plants, according to the New York Post. He said a Kharkiv power plant was struck Sunday night in a large-scale attack on the region that killed three people and wounded nine others, including children. Fox News reported Zelenskyy said Russian forces had carried out more than 200 strikes on Ukraine's electricity generation and transmission facilities over the past week, along with 17 strikes targeting gas and oil infrastructure, killing more than 150 people and wounding more than 700. The Guardian reported Zelenskyy said Russian drones took to the sky 'throughout the day' on Sunday and there were several airstrikes, including on energy infrastructure, and that Russia hit a power station in Kharkiv – the latest of more than 200 strikes during the past week against electricity generation and transmission facilities in Ukraine.

Trump's call for Ukraine to replace Zelenskyy was reported by Al Jazeera, which quoted him saying 'I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president.' NPR reported Trump is urging Ukrainians to hold wartime elections and replace Zelenskyy, blaming him for not ending the war. Zelenskyy proposed holding a vote if Russian President Vladimir Putin guaranteed a 60-day ceasefire, according to Al Jazeera, the New York Post, and Fox News. Zelenskyy's five-year presidential term expired in 2024, but Ukraine's constitution and martial law grant him a wartime extension, according to Al Jazeera.

The diesel agreement: Fox News reported the Russian government said Saturday it had partially lifted a ban on diesel exports with immediate effect, following the new agreement between Putin and Trump for Russia to supply the US and global markets. Trump's package calls for the release of 300,000 tonnes of diesel 'to the American and global marketplace,' followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and another 1 million tonnes afterward. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the deal, saying 'We're going to do it with all the legal authorities we have' and 'This is good for the American people, bringing these diesel prices down.' The Guardian reported that energy and foreign policy analysts predicted the agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on US imports of Russian diesel would have little 'meaningful' effect on motorists and businesses in the US and overseas.

Reactions from allies and critics: French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris supported a 'real energy ceasefire,' and the Guardian reported the UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, said a sustained energy ceasefire was 'the best route to get energy and fuel back into world markets.' EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas was skeptical that Russia would respect the ceasefire, telling EU foreign ministers: 'We haven't yet seen that Russia will stick to it. Personally, I would also welcome that the ceasefire would include people not being killed, not only energy.' Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove, former NATO supreme allied commander Europe and head of U.S. European Command, told Fox News Digital that Washington risks undermining Ukraine's war effort by striking a deal with 'the enemy,' warning that 'all of this money will go into fueling Mr. Putin's continued attacks in Ukraine.'

Ukrainian domestic politics: Al Jazeera reported Kyiv-based analysts naming potential rivals to Zelenskyy. Igar Tyshkevych said 'If the elections are held fast, one of the former military [commanders] is Zelenskyy's most probable rival,' and that former President Viktor Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko 'do not stand a chance.' Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta think tank, said Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's former top general and current ambassador to the United Kingdom, is 'the most probable alternative to Zelenskyy, his most dangerous competitor who can defeat him in the election.' A Rating Group poll from October 8 found Zaluzhnyi trusted by 64 percent and distrusted by 25 percent; Zelenskyy trusted by 53 percent and distrusted by 40 percent; and Kyrylo Budanov, head of Zelenskyy's administration, trusted by 53 percent and mistrusted by 31 percent. Mykhailo Fedorov, the 35-year-old defence minister, was also named as a potential candidate.

NPR's Joanna Kakissis reported that through conversations with Ukrainians in Kyiv, a common sentiment emerges: while they see Zelenskyy as imperfect, they believe outsiders shouldn't dictate their electoral process or leadership changes. Most Ukrainians acknowledge that holding elections now would be risky given the ongoing conflict, with Russia bombing their cities daily.

Separately, Ars Technica reported that a second Ukrainian drone strike knocked out another Yandex data center in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow on October 9, and a third strike forced Yandex to suspend operations at its data center in Vladimir, east of Moscow, on October 11, according to BBC News. The damage reportedly caused interruptions or outages to popular Russian payment apps and digital banking services, email, e-commerce platforms, video streaming services, ride-hailing and food delivery apps, and navigation and map services. Yandex's search engine accounts for about 70 percent of the market share in Russia. The Moscow Times reported the damage also impacts Yandex's cloud computing service, which counts some of Russia's largest companies as customers.

Where sources differ

• Trump said both parties had agreed to an 'energy ceasefire.' The Guardian reported there was no sign that the Kremlin was observing it, and Zelenskyy said Russian drones and airstrikes continued on Sunday, including on energy infrastructure. Kaja Kallas said the EU had not yet seen Russia stick to it.
• Fox News quoted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying the diesel deal is 'good for the American people, bringing these diesel prices down.' The Guardian reported energy and foreign policy analysts predicted the agreement would have little 'meaningful' effect on motorists and businesses.
• Al Jazeera reported that Valerii Zaluzhnyi is trusted by 64 percent of Ukrainians and distrusted by 25 percent, according to an October 8 Rating Group poll. No other source provides these polling figures.

• The sources do not establish whether Russia officially agreed to the energy ceasefire or whether the Kremlin is observing it; no direct comment from Vladimir Putin or the Kremlin is included.
• The exact terms, duration, and negotiation process of the 'energy ceasefire' are not established.
• The actual effect of the diesel agreement on US and global fuel prices is not established, with only competing predictions.
• The legal and logistical feasibility of holding Ukrainian elections under martial law is not fully established; no source details the obstacles.
• No comment from Yandex about the data center strikes or their impact on services.
• No comment from Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Kyrylo Budanov, or Mykhailo Fedorov about their potential candidacies or their positions on postwar matters.
• The full extent of damage to Ukraine's energy infrastructure and the total number of casualties across all strikes are not established.
• The status of the Yandex data centers after the strikes and the full scope of the impact on Russian services are not established.
• It is not established whether Ukrainian elections will be held or when.

1. Ars Technica — original — by Jeremy Hsu
2. Al Jazeera English — by Mansur Mirovalev
3. The Guardian US — by Martin Belam
4. New York Post — by Associated Press
5. NPR News — by Brittney Melton
6. Fox News — by Emma Bussey

Read the original at Ars Technica

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