Trump bears down on Zelensky as Russia keeps up attacks on Ukraine
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump participate in a meeting in the Oval Office on August 18, 2025. Photo: Mandel Ngan /AFP via Getty Images
President Trump's announcement Sunday about an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine referred to a potential deal that includes each side stopping attacks on oil refineries — and he expects Volodymyr Zelensky to abide by it, a White House official said.
Why it matters: Trump appears to be singlehandedly trying to will a partial ceasefire into existence. But for now Russia hasn't accepted any kind of ceasefire — and Ukraine wants one that forbids attacks on power plants.
Reality check: The "refinery for refinery" proposal, as the official dubbed it, is lopsided. A Ukrainian official told Axios that the country has a single oil refinery which the Russians have attacked multiple times and isn't fully functional. Russia, by contrast, has a vast network of refineries.
- "We import diesel and gas. What we need is for the Russians to stop attacking our electricity grid," the Ukrainian official said.
- "The Russians are thinking about" it, the White House official said. "We will know soon if they are ready."
Case in point: Hours after Trump's announcement, Russia conducted strikes on power plants in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian media.
What he said: Trump's Truth Social post sounded at first like a major breakthrough. "Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" he wrote.
- It appears much more tenuous than that. Zelensky said the announced ceasefire "was news for me."
State of play: After reaching a deal with Russia Friday to lift diesel sanctions, Trump remains focused on stopping Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. He believes the strikes are driving up U.S. gas prices.
- White House officials warn that Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries are hurting Zelensky's relationship with Trump more than they're damaging Russia.
- "Trump is really mad. He feels Zelensky is taking the U.S. for granted," the White House official said.
Zoom in: Amid the crisis with Ukraine, presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have put their planned trip to Moscow on hold, at least until they get clarity on whether Ukraine and the Europeans are ready to agree to a new unified proposal for Putin.
- A Ukrainian official told Axios on Friday that during a meeting with U.S. negotiators in Miami on Friday, Witkoff and Kushner threatened that Trump could stop sharing U.S. intelligence if it continued to ignore his requests.
- A U.S. official denied that, saying Witkoff and Kushner told the Ukrainians that the U.S. was a strong partner, providing munitions and intelligence. Ukraine therefore shouldn't take actions that hurt American consumers, the two said.
- On Sunday, the Financial Times reported that the U.S. told European countries it might stop selling weapons to Ukraine through NATO if Ukraine continues to strike Russian refineries.
