Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of violating an energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump following a strike on a thermal power plant in Kharkiv.
Zelensky made the accusation on Monday while addressing a conference in Warsaw via video link, urging Washington to ensure Moscow complies with any ceasefire agreement.
He said Ukraine was still waiting for details of the proposed arrangement, adding that he learnt about the announcement through the media.
“We are waiting for the details of the conditions between the Americans and Russians, and we are waiting to see one specific step the Americans are ready to take,” Zelensky said.
He added that the ceasefire could become a major step towards ending the war if the United States ensured Russia respected the agreement.
Zelensky said Ukraine had not attacked Russian oil refineries overnight but maintained that Kyiv would only consider suspending such strikes if Moscow stopped attacking Ukraine’s energy system and critical infrastructure.
Russia had yet to comment on the accusation as of Monday.
The announcement has also drawn scepticism from European leaders, with the European Union urging Washington to maintain pressure on Moscow.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it remained unclear whether Russia would honour the proposed ceasefire.
“We would call the US to get the sanctions in place so that we could actually finish the war,” she said during a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
French President Emmanuel Macron also said he had seen no indication in the preceding 48 hours that Russia was respecting an energy ceasefire.
The EU subsequently approved nearly 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex, according to Kallas. She said more than half were linked to the production chain for ballistic missiles.
The ceasefire announcement followed Russian attacks that killed six people in two Ukrainian cities on Sunday, according to Ukrainian officials.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov also reported that at least 12 people were wounded in several Russian attacks on the city on Monday morning.
Residents expressed doubts that the proposed ceasefire would hold, amid continued attacks and uncertainty over the agreement’s terms.
Trump had announced the ceasefire amid rising energy prices and pressure ahead of the US midterm elections.
He has urged Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, which he blamed for contributing to higher diesel prices.
The US president also warned Zelensky on Saturday to stop the strikes and called for new elections in Ukraine, where voting has been suspended since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Zelensky said he would call an election if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, adding that Ukrainians should decide who leads their country.
Trump had previously announced an energy ceasefire in September, although neither Russia nor Ukraine confirmed that an agreement had been reached.
Zelensky rejected claims that Ukraine was responsible for rising energy prices, arguing that the war in the Middle East was a bigger factor.
