Ukraine will continue its long-range strikes against Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday, accusing Moscow of breaching the energy ceasefire.
Speaking via a video link at the Warsaw Security Forum, the president said he learned from the media about the truce announced by US President Donald Trump on the Truth Social platform on Sunday. Since then, Ukrainian energy infrastructure has continued to be hit by Moscow’s air strikes, according to Zelenskyy.
“It’s clear” that Russian President Vladimir Putin “doesn’t read Truth Social,” Zelenskyy said. “If Russia doesn’t agree to energy ceasefire — we will respond.”
The Kremlin has nothing to say yet on an “energy truce,” though contacts are continuing, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Tass. Ukraine’s state-run energy company Naftogaz said Monday that Russia attacked gas production facilities, damaging critical equipment in the eastern Kharkiv region.
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Growing tensions over the truce threaten a fresh blow-up between Zelenskyy and Trump, who is increasingly looking at Kyiv’s battle against Russia’s full-scale invasion primarily through the lens of energy prices ahead of the US midterm elections. Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy on Saturday, suggesting he should consider stepping aside as Ukraine’s president.
Zelenskyy reiterated that Kyiv is grateful to the US for its support, but pushed back against holding an election during the war, currently well into its fifth year.
“We have attacks day and night,” he said, “Under such conditions it’s impossible to hold elections. We need ceasefire - full ceasefire.”
Once a ceasefire is agreed, Zelenskyy said, he will engage with parliament to change legislation and the constitution to “hold the election quickly.”