Trump says Russia and Ukraine agree to ‘energy ceasefire’

US President Donald Trump said on Oct 11 that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to an “energy ceasefire” effective immediately.“Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” he wrote on social media.The day before, Trump had again demanded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky halt attacks on Russian oil refineries and suggested he should consider stepping aside as the country’s leader.At the same time, Trump has also been facing strong criticism for a deal he struck with Russia on Moscow’s exports of diesel.Trump’s announcement on Oct 11 came shortly after Zelensky, in an interview on ABC’s This Week, called on Trump to put more pressure on Russia to end the war.“Russia doesn’t feel real pressure, they want to continue,” Zelensky said, adding that he had conveyed to Trump and his team that Ukraine is ready for a ceasefire. “We are ready to begin from any kind of steps of de-escalation.”That includes an “energy ceasefire” if Russia agreed to similar steps, he said. “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children,” Zelensky said. “We will stop attack your diesel.”The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for more details on the ceasefire.Zelensky and Trump have clashed in recent days after Trump’s announcement that he was working with Russian President Vladimir Putin to release some diesel fuel into the global markets.The decision – which required a Treasury waiver to lift sanctions – has drawn bipartisan criticism in the US and was assailed by Zelensky as giving Russia more resources to continue the war. BLOOMBERG