Zelensky says Ukraine held fire for two days of Trump's energy ceasefire, while Russia kept striking
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on October 13 that Ukraine had not attacked Russian oil refineries or energy infrastructure for two days after US President Donald Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" on October 11, while Russia continued to strike Ukrainian energy and critical infrastructure across 19 regions. Zelensky said he had heard no confirmation from Moscow that it had agreed to the truce, and that Russian drones hit a power plant in Kharkiv right after Trump's announcement. Trump, asked about Russian strikes on six Ukrainian energy facilities the day before, said "Ukraine hit many facilities the day before" and later described ceasefire violations as "on both sides."
Key points
- On October 11, Trump declared that an "energy ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia was beginning "from this moment," claiming both sides had agreed.
- On October 13, Zelensky said Ukraine had not struck Russian oil refineries or energy infrastructure for two days, but that Russia hit energy and critical infrastructure in 19 regions over that period.
- The announced ceasefire, per Axios, covers only strikes on oil refineries; Ukraine has one refinery operating below capacity, while Russia has a vast network.
- Zelensky said he had not heard confirmation of Russia's consent to the ceasefire and called the announcement news to Kyiv; the Kremlin said communications are continuing.
- On October 13, Trump said that "Ukraine hit many facilities the day before" and described ceasefire violations as "on both sides."
- The Trump administration warned it could suspend intelligence sharing and European purchases of US weapons for Ukraine if Kyiv does not stop deep strikes on Russian energy.
- EU figures cite about 197 billion euros (≈209 billion dollars) paid to Russia for fossil fuels from March 2022 to July 2026; Trump claims 250 billion dollars; Russia's Deputy PM Novak claims 320.7 billion dollars.
Why it matters
The episode exposes a sharp disagreement between Washington and Kyiv over whether the announced energy ceasefire is real and being honored by both sides. Trump's reported threats to cut intelligence sharing and weapons procurement to force Ukraine to stop deep strikes on Russian energy mark a significant escalation of US pressure on Kyiv, and place the burden of restraint on a country whose energy grid has been repeatedly hit by Russia. The conflicting figures for EU energy payments to Russia point to a broader information dispute over who is financing Moscow's war.
What happened
On October 11, US President Donald Trump announced that an "energy ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia was beginning "from this moment," and said both sides had agreed. According to Axios, the arrangement covers only strikes on oil refineries — a category that includes one damaged Ukrainian facility and an extensive Russian network. On October 13, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had not struck Russian oil refineries or energy infrastructure for two days after Trump's announcement, but that Russia had hit energy and critical infrastructure in 19 regions of Ukraine over that period, and that Russian drones struck a power plant in Kharkiv right after the truce was announced. Zelenskyy said he had heard no confirmation from Moscow that it had agreed to the ceasefire and called the announcement news to Kyiv; the Kremlin said communications were continuing. That same day, asked about six Ukrainian energy facilities Russia had struck the day before, Trump said "Ukraine hit many facilities the day before" and later described violations as "on both sides," promising to check reports of Russian violations. The Trump administration had warned Kyiv and European allies that Washington could suspend intelligence sharing and European purchases of American weapons for Ukraine if strikes on Russian energy continued; Axios reported that US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner made that threat during negotiations in Miami. The Financial Times reported Ukraine was not aware of the energy ceasefire when Trump announced it.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources center Zelenskyy's claim that Ukraine held its fire for two days while Russia struck 19 regions, including a power plant in Kharkiv right after Trump's announcement. They emphasize that Ukraine was caught off guard by the ceasefire announcement and had no prior knowledge of it, framing it as a unilateral US move. They highlight the asymmetry: Ukraine has one damaged refinery, while Russia has a vast network, and they frame Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy as legitimate pressure on the aggressor. They also spotlight German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Zelenskyy demanding that Russia take the first step and calling for increased pressure on Moscow.
How international sources describe it
International coverage, including Al Jazeera Arabic, frames the situation as divergent positions between Russia and Ukraine on Trump's energy truce proposal. US outlets such as Axios, CNN and the Financial Times foreground the Trump administration's threats to suspend intelligence sharing and European weapons procurement unless Ukraine halts deep strikes on Russian energy. Trump's own statements frame violations as mutual — "on both sides" — and point to Ukrainian strikes as the justification for continued Russian attacks, a framing that contrasts with Kyiv's denial and with European calls for Russia to take the first step.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on three main points. First, on EU payments to Russia for energy since the full-scale invasion: EU/Eurostat data puts the figure at about 197 billion euros (≈209 billion dollars), Trump claims 250 billion dollars, and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak claims 320.7 billion dollars. Second, on whether Ukraine honored the ceasefire: Zelenskyy says Ukraine did not strike Russian energy for two days, while Trump says Ukraine "hit many facilities the day before" and that both sides violated the truce. Third, on whether Russia agreed to the ceasefire at all: Trump said both sides agreed on October 11; Zelenskyy said he had heard no confirmation from Moscow and called the announcement news to Ukraine; the Kremlin said communications are continuing. Ukrainian and German officials also push back on who should move first, saying Russia must stop its strikes before Ukraine is expected to reciprocate.
Background
The energy ceasefire Trump announced on October 11 reportedly covers only strikes on oil refineries, per Axios. Ukraine has one operating refinery, repeatedly damaged by Russian strikes, while Russia has an extensive refinery network. Between March 2022 and July 2026, EU states paid Russia about 197 billion euros (≈209 billion dollars) for fossil fuels; the European Commission estimates the REPowerEU plan saved the EU roughly 278 billion euros in additional spending, and that Russia's share of EU gas imports fell from 45% to 12% and crude oil from 20% to about 2%. On October 9 Trump said he had spoken with Vladimir Putin and reached a deal on Russian diesel supplies to the US and world markets; seven US senators from both parties said this contradicts a 2022 Congressional ban on Russian energy imports. The Kremlin has said communications about the proposed energy ceasefire are continuing.