In brief
Former United States President Donald Trump announced a deal between Russia and Ukraine to halt strikes on energy infrastructure, a claim met with silence from Moscow and a tentative reception from Kyiv. Kyiv’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was quick to call the news a surprise but said the country would sign up if Russia agreed. In contrast, Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said contacts were ongoing and that Moscow would answer once a verdict is reached. Russian media have called the ceasefire a “gift” for Moscow, suggesting it allows Russia to avoid targeting Ukrainian refineries while still threatening Western interests. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials report ongoing drone attacks on Russian oil facilities, sparking fears Russia will use the situation to pressure Washington and hamper U.S. support for Kyiv.
On Sunday, former US President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed a ceasefire on strikes against energy infrastructure “effective immediately.” Kyiv’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said the announcement was a surprise, yet expressed readiness to sign if Moscow complied.
When a journalist asked Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov whether such an agreement existed, he replied that “contacts are continuing” and that Russia would inform the press “as soon as we have anything to say.” In practice, Moscow offered little concrete response.
Pro‑Kremlin outlets, however, praised Trump’s announcement as a “gift” for Moscow, claiming the ceasefire would allow Russia to avoid targeting Ukrainian refineries—most of which are already limited in output—while still pressing Ukraine to stay in line.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials report that Russian drones continue to strike oil facilities across the country, a tactic Moscow employs to coerce Europe into halting arms support for Kyiv and to curb the recently signed US‑Russia fuel deal. Such attacks could amplify U.S. congressional pressure on the Trump administration and destabilize midterm election prospects.
The Kremlin’s position remains cautious. Peskov emphasized that Moscow seeks a “lasting peace” and possesses the willingness to “do whatever’s possible.” Yet the party’s offers have stalled at a one‑day pause for elections, a move that Ukraine and its Western allies do not regard as a serious proposition.
As the war enters its winter phase, Moscow intends to continue pressing Ukraine by leveraging the fuel deal’s leverage to align U.S. policy with Russian interests, with the hope of squeezing Kyiv into abandoning resistance.
Images: Energy workers are repairing power after missile attacks; Russian President Vladimir Putin at a worktable.
