Zelensky says Russia hit power plant ‘after’ Trump’s energy ceasefire announcement

President Trump's announcement Sunday about an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine referred to a potential deal that includes each side stopping attacks on oil refineries — and he expects Volodymyr Zelensky to abide by it, a White House official said. The official said if attacks on oil refineries cease, a deal to stop hitting power plants and energy grids could come next. Why it matters: Trump appears to be singlehandedly trying to will a partial ceasefire into existence.

But for now Russia hasn't accepted any kind of ceasefire — and Ukraine wants one that forbids attacks on power plants. Reality check: The "refinery for refinery" proposal, as the official dubbed it, is lopsided. A Ukrainian official told Axios that the country has a single oil refinery which the Russians have attacked multiple times and isn't fully functional.

Russia, by contrast, has a vast network of refineries."We import diesel and gas. What we need is for the Russians to stop attacking our electricity grid," the Ukrainian official said."The Russians are thinking about" it, the White House official said. "We will know soon if they are ready."Case in point: Hours after Trump's announcement, Russia conducted strikes on power plants in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian media.What he said: Trump's Truth Social post sounded at first like a major breakthrough.

"Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Do not break it!" he wrote.It appears much more tenuous than that. Zelensky said the announced ceasefire "was news for me."State of play: After reaching a deal with Russia Friday to lift diesel sanctions, Trump remains focused on stopping Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries.

He believes the strikes are driving up U.S. White House officials warn that Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries are hurting Zelensky's relationship with Trump more than they're damaging Russia."Trump is really mad. He feels Zelensky is taking the U.S.

for granted," the White House official said. Zoom in: Amid the crisis with Ukraine, presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have put their planned trip to Moscow on hold, at least until they get clarity on whether Ukraine and the Europeans are ready to agree to a new unified proposal for Putin.A Ukrainian official told Axios on Friday that during a meeting wi… Russia struck a power plant in eastern Ukraine, contradicting President Trump’s announcement earlier Sunday that both countries agreed to an "energy ceasefire." A local official who spoke with ABC News said that a thermal power plant in the city of Kharkiv was hit twice and on fire.