Russia has been accused of breaching a ceasefire announced by Donald Trump after projectiles struck a thermal power plant in Ukraine just hours after Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike hit a facility in Kharkiv, questioning how the attack could have happened so soon after Trump’s announcement.
Trump's warning and Zelensky's response
The US President had taken to his Truth Social platform to warn both sides against targeting energy infrastructure. He said: "Do not break it!". Zelensky said: "And all of this happened AFTER the President of the United States made his statement about an energy ceasefire," the Ukrainian leader said.
Zelensky had earlier indicated he was unaware of any agreement, saying Trump’s announcement was "news for me". "If President Trump negotiated it with Putin, please tell us when the ceasefire begins - we are ready and we will accept it," he added.
Continued attacks and civilian deaths
Russia had not publicly responded to the announcement at the time of the reports, while attacks continued in Ukraine. Officials said at least three civilians had been killed in Kharkiv alone.
Trump was also reported to have threatened to cut off weapons supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv did not agree to the ceasefire. Some reports suggested Washington had also threatened to withhold intelligence support.
Tensions and UK support
This comes after growing tensions between Trump and Zelensky, who clashed over how to end the war and the US administration’s approach to Moscow. Zelensky had criticised a deal announced by Trump on Friday to buy 300,000 tons of fuel from Russia, describing it as a "gift to Putin". The US President has said the arrangement would help ease energy price pressures.
Ukraine has continued to target Russian oil refineries with drone strikes, disrupting exports. Trump has expressed frustration with Kyiv’s attacks and urged Zelensky to stop them. "He better damn well stop," Trump said to reporters. "I suggest they [Ukraine] get a new leader who can make a deal."
Britain has meanwhile reiterated its backing for Kyiv. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC that the UK "stands with President Zelensky". Asked about Trump’s call for a change of leadership in Ukraine, Streeting said: "We are in no doubt that the aggressor here was Vladimir Putin. He is the person who chose to start this war. He is the person who could end this war tomorrow, and he chooses not to. So, we stand with Ukraine."
