Russia stays silent despite Trump's 'energy ceasefire' declaration, continues airstrikes

[Financial News] Ceasefire talks are losing momentum as Russia makes no response to US President Donald Trump's unilateral declaration of an “energy ceasefire” and again strikes a Ukrainian power plant. The Trump administration is said to have pressured Ukraine instead of Russia and raised the possibility of halting military intelligence and weapons support.
According to foreign media outlets, including the US-based Associated Press, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an evening address on the 11th (local time), “The No. 5 combined heat and power plant in Kharkiv (in northeastern Ukraine) has just been attacked.” He later said on Facebook that he had spoken by phone with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “I explained to von der Leyen Russia's ongoing brutal attacks,” Zelenskyy said, adding, “Just before the call, Russian forces attacked a power plant in the capital, Kyiv, with Shahed drones, causing power outages in several areas, and energy facilities in Kharkiv Oblast were attacked afterward.” He added, “All of this happened after the US president issued a statement on an energy ceasefire.”
Earlier that day, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that “an energy ceasefire has been reached in the war between Russia and Ukraine” and that it would take effect immediately. He added that “both sides agreed” and stressed, “Do not violate it.” That same day, Zelenskyy told the US political outlet Axios, “This is the first I'm hearing of it.” He added, however, “If Russia agrees to an energy ceasefire, Ukraine will agree as well.”
The energy ceasefire Trump referred to is understood to be a commitment by both sides not to strike each other's energy facilities, including power plants and oil facilities. Russia, which has invaded Ukraine for more than four years, has repeatedly launched concentrated attacks on Ukrainian power plants whenever winter approaches, causing heating crises. Ukraine, which had condemned these attacks, has targeted Russian oil refineries this year, disrupting oil exports and fuel supplies.
Trump, who began his second term last year, pushed for a 30-day energy ceasefire between the two sides in March last year, citing Ukraine's power shortages. At the time, Trump claimed both sides had agreed to a ceasefire, but neither stopped its attacks. Trump also said on the 14th of last month that both sides had agreed to an energy ceasefire. This time, the claim was tied to circumstances in Russia. With November's midterm elections approaching, Trump claimed international diesel prices were rising because Russian oil refineries had been damaged, not because of the Iran war he started. The two sides continued fighting last month despite Trump's energy-ceasefire claim.
On the 9th, Axios reported that Trump had asked Ukraine six times to stop attacking oil refineries, but to no avail. In response, Trump said that same day that he was temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian diesel and that Russia was set to supply 4.8 million tons of diesel to the global market. After Zelenskyy objected, Trump told reporters on the 10th that Ukraine needed a “new leader.” According to the UK’s Financial Times (FT) on the 10th, the US side warned at a meeting with a Ukrainian delegation on the 9th that it could stop sharing intelligence if Ukraine did not halt attacks on Russian oil refineries. In a report the following day, the FT said Trump administration officials had called European countries and Ukraine on the 10th and 11th. According to officials, the administration told Ukraine it would block the country from purchasing US weapons if the refinery attacks continued. The Russian government had still not officially responded to Trump's ceasefire declaration as of the 12th.
Meanwhile, in an interview with US broadcaster ABC on the 11th, Zelenskyy told Russian President Vladimir Putin, “Propose a full ceasefire for two months, 60 days. If there is a ceasefire for 60 days, we will hold elections.” Responding to Trump's remarks about a “new president,” he stressed that choosing the country's leader “is up to the people of Ukraine.”

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