Russia-Ukraine Truce in Doubt as Zelenskyy Questions Trump’s Ceasefire Announcement

United States President Donald Trump has announced an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming both countries have agreed to stop attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he was not aware of any such agreement.

Trump made the announcement on Sunday, October 11, 2026, in a post on his Truth Social platform, declaring that the ceasefire would take effect immediately.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote.

However, the announcement was not immediately confirmed by either Moscow or Kyiv, raising questions about whether a formal agreement had been reached and how it would be implemented.

Zelenskyy told Axios that Trump’s announcement was the first he had heard of the purported agreement. He nevertheless indicated that Ukraine was prepared to accept a ceasefire if Russia agreed to stop its attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities.

“If President Trump negotiated it with Putin, please tell us when the ceasefire begins. We are ready and we will accept it,” Zelenskyy said.

Earlier on Sunday, the Ukrainian president reiterated Kyiv’s position that it would halt attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow stopped targeting Ukraine’s power infrastructure.

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Zelenskyy stressed that any agreement must be reciprocal and backed by credible guarantees, arguing that Ukraine could stop strikes on energy infrastructure if Russia demonstrated a genuine willingness to do the same.

The disagreement highlights the diplomatic challenges facing efforts to secure a halt to attacks on critical infrastructure amid the continuing war.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s electricity network and other energy facilities, damaging infrastructure and disrupting essential services. Ukraine, in turn, has launched drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and other strategic facilities, seeking to weaken Moscow’s ability to finance its military campaign.

Trump has criticised Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, arguing that they contribute to disruptions in fuel supplies and higher energy prices. The issue has become increasingly significant amid pressure over rising diesel prices in the United States.

The announcement also followed a contentious diplomatic exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy. On Saturday, the US president urged Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries and suggested that Ukrainians should elect a different leader who could reach an agreement with Moscow.

Zelenskyy rejected the suggestion that Washington should determine Ukraine’s leadership, insisting that the choice belonged to the Ukrainian people. He also maintained that elections could not be held under the country’s current martial-law restrictions without the necessary changes to the security situation and legal framework.

The Ukrainian leader said he would be willing to organise elections if Russia agreed to a comprehensive 60-day ceasefire, which he argued would provide the conditions needed for a vote.

The latest dispute comes amid broader diplomatic efforts to end the war and disagreements over how much pressure should be placed on Moscow and Kyiv to make concessions.

Trump had announced a similar energy ceasefire in September, but the earlier declaration was not followed by a clearly confirmed, sustained agreement between the two countries.

The latest announcement therefore leaves key questions unresolved, including whether Russia has formally accepted the proposal, when any halt to attacks would begin, and what mechanisms would be used to monitor compliance.

For Ukraine, the immediate priority remains securing an end to Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure while retaining assurances that Moscow would not use a pause to its military advantage.

For now, Trump’s declaration represents a claimed diplomatic breakthrough rather than a fully verified agreement. Whether it leads to a genuine reduction in attacks will depend on confirmation from both sides and their willingness to honour reciprocal commitments.