Trump's 'energy ceasefire' claim welcomed by Zelensky but Russia silent

Donald Trump has claimed that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to an "energy ceasefire", with Kyiv saying it would support such a move but Moscow yet to comment.

The US president insisted that it was "effective immediately" but provided no details.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially expressed surprise at the announcement, before saying Kyiv would support it if Moscow did. He also accused Russia of striking Ukrainian energy facilities after Trump's post.

Trump has been urging Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil infrastructure - which Kyiv says are vital to curtailing revenue for Moscow's war machine - so Russia can fulfil a recently-struck deal to release diesel to the US and the global market.

The diesel deal, temporarily undoing sanctions on Russian imports, is attracting growing criticism. Zelensky called it a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin. European officials and some US politicians, including from Trump's Republican party, have said they do not support it.

The deal is Trump's latest effort to lower domestic fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections, having spent months grappling with the political consequences of the war with Iran which has pushed up global fuel prices, particularly those for diesel.

That has soured Trump's standing with the American public, who have been stung by the higher pump prices and knock-on effects that led to across-the-board inflation.

Zelensky said it was "news" to him that an energy truce was in effect in comments to news site Axios, before writing on social media that his officials "look forward to clear details of America's dialogue with Russia".

"Ukraine is ready not to strike at Russian energy and we count on Russia's similar readiness and on the agreement of the president of the United States of America on this," he said.

The BBC has asked the White House for further details.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain "strongly supports President Trump's call today for a sustained energy ceasefire to start now", while France, Canada and the EU also expressed support.

Zelensky later said Russia had hit a power plant in Kyiv with a drone, causing power cuts, followed by strikes on energy facilities in the north-eastern Kharkiv region.

"All of this happened after the president of the United States made his statement about an energy ceasefire," he said.

For months, Ukraine and Russia have been exchanging strikes on energy infrastructure.

Moscow said the installations it hits were legitimate targets because they supported Ukraine's military operation, while Zelensky has characterised Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russian territory as part of an effort to "reduce Russia's ability to finance the war".

The attacks have disrupted energy supplies on both sides.