US President Donald Trump announced a diplomatic breakthrough on Monday in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, though his unsubstantiated claim received only a cautious response from Ukraine and no immediate reaction from the Kremlin.
The announcement comes as both Moscow and Kyiv indicate willingness to continue US-brokered mediation talks, which have remained largely stalled throughout Trump’s second term.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week in an interview with DW that he would be open to meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December, should rumors of Putin’s invitation materialize.
What did Trump say?
Trump appeared to assert that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to cease targeting each other’s energy facilities.
“Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian energy targets. Russia has agreed to do the same!” Trump or his team posted.
“The world’s diesel price is mostly caused by the Russia/Ukraine War [sic], not Iran,” the Truth Social post continued — a stance that agitated follow-up posts would reinforce — reflecting a desire to downplay surging US oil prices, the role of Trump’s military action in Iran in driving them higher, and mounting domestic economic pressures.
Donald Trump blames Ukraine for record US diesel prices
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What, if anything, did Ukraine and Russia say?
Moscow offered no immediate comment on the matter.
Ukraine’s presidency declined to comment but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a more restrained statement online.
He did, however, say that he had recommended pursuing such an agreement as winter approaches — if Russia’s cooperation could be assured after years of it targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
“Ukraine has proposed that its partners secure an agreement with Russia that would stop the destruction of critical infrastructure,” Zelenskyy wrote online. “Food, energy, and other essentials that sustain life must be protected, and Russian strikes are directed primarily against them.”
But Zelenskyy cautioned that Kyiv “is not convinced that Russia is willing to abide by an agreement,” if one could be reached.
“If our partners are ready to ensure that Russia genuinely refrains from striking our electricity system, other energy facilities, critical infrastructure, and food supply routes, then, of course, we are ready to ensure a corresponding halt to our strikes.”
He said Kyiv would need assurance that this was a lasting deal and not merely an effort to secure temporary relief in fuel prices in Russia ahead of elections at the end of the week.
“We expect specifics from our partners,” Zelenskyy concluded, without naming names.
Ukraine has been targeting Russian warehouses, refineries amid Iran war
As Trump’s military action in Iran drove oil prices to levels unseen since the immediate aftermath of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv has increasingly employed long-range drone strikes against Russia’s refinery and petroleum supply infrastructure.
This has led to isolated shortages and price increases even within oil-rich Russia.
Ukraine has also carried out a series of high-profile strikes against Russia’s prominent online retailer Wildberries, accusing it of providing logistical support to the military.
The US military action in the Gulf over the past six months has also left Ukraine poorly positioned to defend itself against Russian ballistic missiles, as US Patriot missile supplies have been depleted in the Middle East.
In recent winters, Russia has frequently targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure to compound the difficulties of coping with cold weather. Last winter, as a severe cold snap struck Kyiv and other parts of the country, Trump announced a brief halt to strikes on Kyiv that lasted only a few days.
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