Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Monday of violating the "energy ceasefire" that US President Donald Trump announced unilaterally, saying overnight strikes hit energy facilities in Kharkiv and left much of Kyiv without power.
Speaking by video link to the Warsaw Security Forum, Zelenskyy said there had been "Russian violations of the energy ceasefire announced by President Trump". The mayor of Kharkiv reported at least 12 people injured in attacks on the city's energy infrastructure, according to DW. The Guardian reported that Russia launched a targeted attack on a Kharkiv power station hours after Trump's post, and that Kyiv was under drone attack as it went online.
Trump said on Truth Social on Sunday evening that "both parties" had agreed to an energy ceasefire "effective immediately". Neither Moscow nor Kyiv confirmed it. Zelenskyy told the news site Axios within minutes that the deal was "news for me".
Euronews covered the claim and the reaction at the Warsaw forum in its Europe Today programme.
"It's clear that Putin does not read Truth Social," Zelenskyy told the forum, referring to the US president's platform. He said Ukraine was ready in principle to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries and oil exports if Moscow stopped hitting Ukraine's power system and critical infrastructure.
"This ceasefire, it can work, and it can become a major step toward ending the war if the Americans truly step in now and make sure Russians respect it," he said. "If Russia does not agree to an energy ceasefire, we will respond."
Ukraine's state oil and gas company Naftogaz said a Russian attack damaged gas production facilities in the Kharkiv region overnight and caused a fire. Acting chief executive Sergii Fedorenko said on Telegram that critical equipment was damaged and that crews were working to repair it.
European leaders backed Kyiv's account. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters in Luxembourg that the bloc would welcome the ceasefire "if it holds". She added: "We haven't yet seen that also Russia will stick to it." French President Emmanuel Macron said he had "not noted, over the last 48 hours, any energy ceasefire coming from the Russian side".
In Brussels, the EU formally approved close to 1,600 fresh sanctions targeting Russia's defence industry, Al Jazeera reported. Kallas called it the largest expansion of the bloc's sanctions list since the war began. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told the Warsaw forum that Russia was not interested in a ceasefire and said he would press European partners to consider more sanctions.
The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin would consider a ceasefire for a single day only if Ukraine intended to hold a presidential election. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said of Zelenskyy: "I do not think he deserves a respite." Moscow had earlier rejected Zelenskyy's proposal for a 60-day election ceasefire.
Lithuania's foreign minister, Kestutis Budrys, criticised the US decision last week to ease sanctions on Russian diesel imports, saying the move helped neither the oil products crisis nor transatlantic unity.