Trump Declines to Blame Russia for Energy Ceasefire Breach, Cites Ukrainian Attack
President Trump avoided labeling Russia as the violator of the newly announced energy ceasefire, pointing out that Ukraine had hit Russian energy sites the previous day.
Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia on Oct. 11, surprising Kyiv, and later declined to directly blame Moscow for any breach, saying Ukraine had also hit Russian energy sites the day before. Shortly after his remarks, Russian forces struck the CHP-5 power plant in Kharkiv, which President Volodymyr Zelensky said was among six facilities attacked on Oct. 11, causing 33 injuries nationwide.
Zelensky disclosed that Russia has carried out more than 200 attacks on Ukraine's electricity and transmission networks in the preceding week, along with 17 strikes on gas and oil sites, while Ukraine has refrained from targeting Russian oil refineries for two days. He emphasized Ukraine's willingness to honor an energy ceasefire if Russia does the same, noting the limited sense of a ceasefire that only covers refineries.
The Kremlin has not issued a formal response; spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed a generic commitment to long-term peace without detailing any ceasefire plans. Trump concluded by stating the United States is working with both sides to end the war.
Why it matters
The dispute over an energy ceasefire highlights the fragile diplomatic efforts to limit civilian infrastructure damage in the Russia-Ukraine war.
In this story
Related stories
2 in this thread