Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine will respond if Russia does not honor a proposed energy ceasefire, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.
Speaking via video link to the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland on October 12, 2026, Zelensky said Ukraine would honor the deal if Russia did the same.
Zelensky’s remarks followed Trump’s announcement on Sunday, October 11, that an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine would take effect immediately. The US president made the announcement on his Truth Social platform but did not give details or how such a ceasefire would be monitored.
It caught Ukrainian officials by surprise and Kyiv said it was waiting for more information from Washington. Moscow did not comment on the proposal in the reports released on Monday, which raised questions about how that agreement would be implemented.
Zelensky also made it clear at the security forum that Ukraine would not simply stop its attacks on Russian energy facilities independently if Russian forces continued to attack Ukrainian infrastructure. He said Kyiv would stop long-range strikes against Russian oil refineries and oil exports if Moscow stopped attacking Ukraine's energy system and critical infrastructure.
The Ukrainian president said both sides should have to be subject to the same conditions. His position reflects Kyiv’s longstanding insistence that any pause in attacks should be mutual.
The Ukrainian president also said Russian attacks on energy facilities had continued despite Trump’s announcement. Zelensky said Russian forces attacked a power and heating facility in Kharkiv and gas-related infrastructure.
Ukraine would cooperate with the efforts to reduce escalation but would ask the United States to clarify the proposed agreement and press Russia to implement it, he said. Ukrainian officials said the strikes were made up and the ceasefire deal was not clear at the time of the announcement.
Energy infrastructure has been a key target during the Russia-Ukraine war that started with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Attacks on power plants, electricity networks, gas facilities and other vital infrastructure can disrupt heating, water supplies and electricity for civilians. The impact becomes especially severe when temperatures decrease and households rely on heating systems.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that sustained strikes could leave communities without power and damage essential public services during winter months. A credible ceasefire on energy facilities could therefore reduce risks to civilians, but its effectiveness would depend on clear terms and compliance on both sides.
The deal also comes at a time of political tension over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and fuel supplies and international sanctions. Trump has been publicly calling on Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries while Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine would stop the bombings if Russia didn’t attack Ukrainian energy production facilities.
But a limited ceasefire would need to be reached if a war goes on and Russia doesn’t stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities. A ceasefire could only exist if the security of facilities is clear, violations are documented and if both sides violate the terms.
The energy ceasefire offer itself as far as Moscow and Kyiv are concerned is vague and Russia has said it won’t respond to the ceasefire; Zelensky has said that Ukraine will respond if Russia keeps attacking or doesn’t accept the agreement. The next few days will determine if Washington is able to get both sides to agree.
If it is implemented and respected, a pause in attacks on energy infrastructure may help to relieve civilian suffering and open the way for more diplomacy. But without a clear deal and a clear mechanism to monitor compliance, the announcement alone can’t stop the ongoing damage from the war.
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