Ukraine: Russia breached Trump's energy truce — EU sanctions over 1,600 people and firms

Ukraine says Russia ignored the diesel truce announced by Trump; EU adds sanctions on over 1,600 people and firms

Ukraine accused Moscow of violating a unilateral energy truce that U.S. President Donald Trump announced would free Russian diesel supplies onto world markets, and the European Union expanded sanctions against more than 1,600 individuals and entities tied to the war effort.

Damage and diplomatic scepticism

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that hours after Trump posted the deal on social media, Russian forces continued striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure. "Last night Russian oil refineries were not in flames, but at midnight a Russian jet-powered 'Shahed' drone hit a gas production facility in Ukraine. There was also a Russian attack on an ordinary petrol station with several drones, and repair crews are still working to fix the damage from yesterday's attacks. So, there were Russian violations of the energy truce announced by President Trump," Zelensky said.

EU officials welcomed the idea of a pause in energy strikes but voiced doubt Moscow would adhere to it. Kaja Kallas, presented in the announcement as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said: "We must not forget that Russia started this war. We need to put pressure on Russia to stop the war, because if Russia stops, Ukrainians will not have to take any steps to defend their country. As for such an agreement, of course we hope the truce will hold, but so far we have not seen it being respected."

At the same time Brussels moved to widen punitive measures. The EU said it had added more than 1,600 people and legal entities to its sanctions list — many of them connected to ballistic missile production — as part of efforts to increase pressure on Moscow.

Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahna, questioned the deal's market impact and domestic motives behind it: "I do not think this diesel-fuel deal will in reality change anything about oil or diesel prices on the market. I believe it is much more connected to the domestic political situation in the US, given that their midterm elections are approaching," he said.

Trump, in a brief social media post, said the ceasefire was in effect immediately and warned: "Don't break it!" The announced truce focuses first on refineries — a point that benefits Russia asymmetrically given Russia operates dozens of large refineries while Ukraine has only one.

The developments add a diplomatic layer to a battlefield reality: Kyiv says attacks on energy sites have continued despite the public announcement of an energy pause, while the EU seeks to tighten sanctions on networks supporting Moscow's military programme.

Photo: press material from the event