Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of rejecting peace efforts and defying former President Donald Trump’s announced “energy ceasefire,” stating that Russia continued to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure even after Trump’s declaration. In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to honor the ceasefire, asserting that Kyiv had not attacked Russian energy facilities overnight, but pointed to Russia’s subsequent strikes on Ukrainian gas stations and energy infrastructure as Putin’s clear response and rejection of the initiative, highlighting that Moscow communicated no knowledge of such an agreement. This comes as Trump announced an immediate energy ceasefire on Truth Social, a proposal that Russia has not confirmed and whose scope remains disputed, with reports indicating it initially focused on oil refineries and that Russia had not yet agreed to broader terms. Zelenskyy countered Trump’s concerns about Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries impacting global fuel prices, attributing price fluctuations instead to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and insisting that an energy ceasefire must encompass all energy infrastructure, not just refineries, stating, “If Russia will not attack our energy, we will not attack the energy.” The Ukrainian president also pushed back against Trump’s calls for new Ukrainian elections, emphasizing that only the Ukrainian people can change their leader and that elections are currently impossible due to ongoing hostilities and security concerns, while also noting the significant human cost of daily Russian strikes. The situation is further complicated by criticism of Trump’s earlier decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel, which critics argue provides Moscow with revenue for its war effort and undermines leverage against Putin, while proponents suggest Trump is rightly pushing for a negotiated settlement to end the costly war of attrition.
Adapted from: Latest World News on Fox News
