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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia struck a power plant in Kharkiv shortly after US President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacks on energy infrastructure.
Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine supported the proposal but had not seen evidence that Russia had accepted it. He said Kyiv was waiting for details of discussions between Washington and Moscow.
Trump said on Sunday that the two countries had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure immediately, without providing further details. The Kremlin did not confirm an agreement on Monday. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said contacts were continuing and Moscow would announce any developments.
“We are ready to respect an energy ceasefire if Russia is ready to do the same,” Zelenskyy said, warning that Ukraine would respond if Russian attacks continued.
He said Russia would need to stop strikes on Ukraine’s energy system and critical infrastructure, as well as attacks that kill civilians, if Moscow wanted Kyiv to halt its long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries and exports.
Zelenskyy called on Washington to put pressure on Moscow to uphold the proposed truce, rather than offer sanctions relief or concessions.
Asked about elections, he said a vote under current conditions was “completely impossible”, citing ongoing Russian attacks and the difficulty of ensuring military personnel could take part. He said he was prepared to work with parliament on arrangements if the United States secured a full ceasefire lasting at least 60 days.
His comments came after Trump called on Saturday for Ukraine to elect a new president. Zelenskyy said a full ceasefire would allow him to work on holding elections.
Zelenskyy also criticised a reported US decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports. He said the reported volumes of 300,000 to 500,000 tonnes a month would have little effect on global supplies, which he estimated at about 120 million tonnes monthly, and proposed a diesel deal with Ukraine.
He said Kyiv could refrain from targeting Russian oil infrastructure if Washington helped secure an end to Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. Zelenskyy also warned that continued disruption to maritime trade could lead to food shortages in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East that receive Ukrainian agricultural exports.
