Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said Russia and Ukraine have agreed to an “energy ceasefire” without offering specifics on the terms. Neither side immediately commented on such an agreement.
The announcement comes a day after Trump blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for attacking diesel facilities in Russia and contributing to a global shortage. The attack came a day after the US temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian fuel that were designed to deprive Moscow of revenues to fund its war in Ukraine.
"I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president," Trump had told reporters at the White House.
Trump's brief post said only that the ceasefire takes effect immediately and that both sides had agreed to it. “Do not break it!” he said in his social media post.
The White House did not immediately clarify the president's post or add detail.
Meanwhile, Zelenskiy responded to critical comments from US President Donald Trump by saying that he will organize Ukraine elections if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.
He said "it's up to Ukrainians" to choose their leader and noted that Putin would also like to change who is leading Ukraine.
"Please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections," Zelenskiy told ABC's ‘This Week’ in an interview aired on Sunday.
He also said it is easy for Ukraine to be blamed for higher fuel prices "when everybody in the world understands that because of the war in the Middle East, the prices are rising."
Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly attacked each other's energy infrastructure during the war.
Trump on Saturday criticized Zelenskiy for attacking Russian oil refineries a day after the US temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian fuel that were designed to deprive Moscow of revenues to fund its war in Ukraine.
(With inputs from AP via PTI & Reuters)
