Zelenskyy blindsided after Trump announces ‘energy ceasefire’ in Ukraine war | First Thing

Ukrainian president says the deal is ‘news to me’ and that Russia is still attacking energy infrastructure. Plus, investigation into continuing mystery of Havana syndrome Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Ze

Ukrainian president says the deal is ‘news to me’ and that Russia is still attacking energy infrastructure. Plus, investigation into continuing mystery of Havana syndrome Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said it was “news to me” after Donald Trump announced a partial ceasefire deal in the Ukraine war. The US president had posted to social media to say: “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed.” There was no sign that the Kremlin was observing Trump’s ceasefire.

According to Zelenskyy, Russian drones took to the sky “throughout the day” on Sunday and there were several airstrikes, including on energy infrastructure. He said Russia hit a power station in Kharkiv – the latest of more than 200 strikes during the past week against electricity generation and transmission facilities in Ukraine. How has the prospect of a deal been welcomed?

Despite the unconventional nature of the announcement, the ceasefire appeared to garner support from Ukraine’s key western allies. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Paris supported a “real energy ceasefire” and the UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, said a sustained energy ceasefire was “the best route to get energy and fuel back into world markets”. Will Trump’s deal with Putin bring down gas prices?

The agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on US imports of Russian diesel will have little “meaningful” effect on motorists and businesses in the US and overseas, energy and foreign policy analysts have predicted . Continue reading...