On October 11, 2026, Donald Trump demanded that Ukraine cease its attacks on Russian refineries (NPP) before he is willing to discuss stopping Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
White House Reaction to Ukraine's Actions
White House officials emphasized that Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are causing more damage to the relationship between Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump than to Russia itself. One official from the US administration noted that if Ukraine stops its attacks on the refineries, this could be the first step towards reaching an agreement to halt strikes on Ukrainian power plants.
Trump and the Energy Ceasefire
Trump expressed his anger, believing that Zelensky does not appreciate the support that the US provides to Ukraine. He expects Ukraine to adhere to the proposed "energy ceasefire." However, despite US proposals, Russia has not agreed to any ceasefire yet. Specifically, just a few hours after Trump's announcement, Russia struck Ukrainian energy facilities.
Ukraine's Response to Russian Attacks
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reported that Russia violated the "energy ceasefire" immediately after it was announced, striking the CHP-5 in Kharkiv. He emphasized that Ukraine is ready for a complete energy ceasefire, but only if Russia stops its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Sybiha also noted that the response to Russian terror should include:
- additional military aid packages for Ukraine;
- the opening of negotiation clusters regarding EU membership;
- the full utilization of frozen Russian assets.