President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia hit six Ukrainian energy facilities Monday and has shown no sign of honoring the energy ceasefire US President Donald Trump announced a day earlier.
Zelensky wrote that “Today alone, the Russians have attacked 6 energy facilities in Ukraine.” The strikes wounded 33 people, he said, and Russia reportedly hit a power plant in eastern Ukraine within hours of Trump’s Sunday announcement.
He said there is “no indication that Russia is complying” and called for more pressure on Moscow. He also said Ukraine backs the truce, held off on overnight strikes against Russian refineries, and will offer guarantees.
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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia will continue what Moscow calls its special military operation and said of Zelensky, “I don’t think he deserves a respite.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said energy truce talks are still ongoing.
Trump told reporters Monday as he left the White House for Ohio that both sides had committed violations and that he would look into the strikes. He defended his announcement by saying “They agreed because I said they agreed.”
He also told a Polish reporter who asked how he would make Putin abide by the ceasefire that Putin wants to make a deal more than Zelenskyy.
In an interview that aired Sunday, Zelensky called the US decision to let Russian diesel into American markets an “obvious weakness” that helps Russia wage war longer. He offered to stop striking Russian diesel if Russia stops attacking Ukraine and said Washington should hold a strong conversation with Moscow.
The US Treasury issued a general license Friday, October 9, lifting sanctions on Russian diesel through April 2027.
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Trump has blamed Ukraine’s refinery attacks for higher diesel costs. Zelensky disputed that Monday, saying prices trace to the Strait of Hormuz blockade and not to Ukraine’s strikes. He said a mutual energy truce could be a first step toward a settlement.
Trump has also called for Ukraine to replace Zelensky. The Ukrainian responded, in an interview with ABC News, by inviting Russia to agree to a 60-day ceasefire so his country can hold an election.
European and Ukrainian officials say the Trump administration has threatened to end intelligence sharing and halt European purchases of US weapons for Kyiv unless Ukraine stops deep strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
EU foreign ministers adopted their largest sanctions package against Russia since the war began, listing about 1,569 people and businesses.
