(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukraine and Russia have exchanged fresh strikes despite US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a truce on attacks targeting energy infrastructure.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha says Kyiv is open to an energy truce, but only if Russia also stops its attacks and the agreement is backed by Ukraine’s partners.
US President Donald Trump announced late on Monday that Washington had successfully brokered an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides agreeing not to target each other’s energy infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, responding to that comment, says Ukraine was willing to adhere to any energy ceasefire and that Ukraine had been pushing for an energy ceasefire with Russia, but that it doubts Moscow would respect any such ceasefire. No word came from Moscow following the announcement by the US president.
However, on Tuesday morning, President Zelensky released a statement that Russia has continued to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Tuesday and that Ukraine has retaliated by targeting the Syzran oil refinery inside Russia’s Samara region. Both sides are not adhering to any kind of energy truce despite the words coming from the US president.
Ukraine has made it known that it wishes to adhere to an energy ceasefire and has been pushing for one, particularly ahead of the winter months, with Ukraine bracing itself for more Russian attacks on its energy sector during those cold months, making life very difficult for Ukrainians to heat their homes, have power or, in some cases, running water. This follows massive Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure basically every winter since the full scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
As it stands, there is certainly no energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Both sides continue to target infrastructure on either side. Russia has also continued its attacks on Ukrainian petrol stations in the Ukrainian capital. One person was killed and seven people were injured according to the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, following yet more Russian attacks on Ukrainian petrol stations. Russia continues to target petrol stations full of customers during daytime hours. The Ukrainians are certainly not going to agree to halt their strikes on Russia’s oil refineries while Russia continues to launch attacks against civilian targets in Ukraine.
A drone from Belarus was shot down over Lithuania on Tuesday. Vilnius Airport temporarily suspended operations on Tuesday morning after an unidentified object was detected on radar. Flights resumed about 30 minutes later, but authorities have not yet identified the object. The alert came hours after NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. The drone reportedly flew in near Vilnius before being shot down near Kaunas. The incursion triggered air raid alarms and temporary airport delays.
Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is likely using mobile networks and repeater stations in Belarus to steer drones during mass attacks on Ukraine.
On Monday, the Polish military also recovered a suspected Russian Gerbera drone from the Baltic Sea. Polish and Lithuanian foreign ministers have agreed to jointly investigate the recent drone incursions in both countries.
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak Kamysz says the Russian drone recovered from the Baltic Sea on Monday could provide crucial insight into the developments of Russia’s military capabilities.
“It is most likely a new type of Gerbera drone and may be tied to Russia exploring new capabilities,” he said. “The incursion is now being thoroughly investigated, including the flight trajectory, the interception of the system, and whatever data that may have been captured. This process will probably take several more days, and it is now up to the relevant services to complete the investigation. What is certain is that Russia has lost an important asset that could be used to enhance its capabilities to operate unmanned systems. In other words, a new drone has been captured by a NATO member state, and examining the drone will certainly be interesting for our development efforts and our understanding of what kind of technology the Russian Federation is fielding today.”
Former British Foreign Minister and Defence Secretary Malcolm Rifkind says NATO must show complete solidarity following Russia’s recent provocations in the Baltic region. In an exclusive interview with TVP World, he said the alliance must make the Kremlin recognise the consequences of further escalation.
“First of all, NATO has to show complete solidarity, speak with a single voice if it can, and that is not always deliverable,” he said. “But if it can, that is very important. That is what the Kremlin notices. But we have also got to explore ways in which we can make the Russians concerned in terms of their own interests by what NATO is doing as a direct consequence of this sort of behaviour by them. And for example, Europe foreign minister Radosław Sikorski I believe came up with a very interesting suggestion, a very valid suggestion. Well, maybe there should be a, I am not sure the precise words he used, but he gave an impression that what he was saying was maybe there should be a serious NATO exercise, which happens to be in Poland, but very near the border with Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave there.”
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy John Coale is meeting Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. Coale is expected to hold talks that could include the possible release of hundreds of political prisoners held in Belarus. Coale said his mediation has helped secure the release of around 700 to 800 people with a goal of reaching 1,000.
He has visited Minsk several times and met with Lukashenko, resulting in 250 prisoners freed in the last major release on 19th March 2026. According to the Belarusian Weekly Nashan, Lukashenko is ready to discuss reopening the US embassy, nuclear materials and potash fertilisers. Analysts say he may be raising his demands in exchange for releasing prisoners. Lukashenko is also seeking the return of up to $44 million (£34 million) that he claims is being held at Citibank.
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