E-Paper
'Ukraine wants peace. Does Russia?' Zelensky reports fresh strikes on power plants despite Trump's energy ceasefire announcement
Zelensky says Russian strikes hit Ukrainian power plants despite Trump’s energy ceasefire announcement, raising doubts over Russia’s commitment.
Prefer HTon Google
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces continued attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Sunday, despite US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to an energy ceasefire.
Zelensky reported strikes on power plants in Kyiv and Kharkiv and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to honor the proposed pause in attacks.
In a post on X, Zelensky said Ukraine had faced repeated attacks throughout the day, including drone strikes and glide bomb attacks.
Deep Dive
“Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia does,” he wrote, adding that Kyiv was awaiting clear details of the discussions between Washington and Moscow.
Zelensky reports strikes on power plants
Zelensky said a power plant in Kharkiv was attacked on Sunday evening. He also reported a drone strike on a power plant in Kyiv that caused power outages in the capital.
“Unfortunately, Ukrainian skies have been infested with Russian ‘shaheds’ all day today,” Zelensky wrote, referring to the drones used in Russian attacks.
He said Russian forces had carried out more than 200 strikes on Ukraine’s electricity generation and transmission facilities over the past week. Another 17 strikes targeted gas and oil facilities, he added.
According to Zelensky, the attacks killed more than 150 people and wounded over 700 during the week.
He said Ukrainian forces had received the necessary orders and that Kyiv was waiting for Russia to respond to the ceasefire proposal.
Also Read: Trump announces Russia-Ukraine ‘energy ceasefire’; Zelensky says ‘news to me’
Trump announces energy ceasefire
Trump announced the proposed ceasefire on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, writing, “Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!”
However, the announcement did not include further details about the agreement. Zelensky said he was seeking clarification, while Russia had not publicly confirmed its participation, according to AFP.
Zelensky said Ukraine supported the proposed pause but stressed that Russia must also agree to observe it. He has repeatedly called for steps to reduce attacks during the war.
Russia has regularly targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine has also attacked Russian oil refineries, saying they help finance Moscow’s war effort.
Zelensky pushes back at Trump
The ceasefire announcement came amid tensions over US policy toward the war, including Washington’s temporary easing of sanctions on Russian diesel. Ukraine and several European allies criticised the move.
Trump also suggested that Ukraine should have a new president. Zelensky responded in an interview with ABC News, saying Ukrainians should decide who leads their country.
“First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it's up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader,” he said.
European leaders voiced support for Kyiv. French President Emmanuel Macron called for a “real energy ceasefire,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed efforts to protect energy infrastructure.
