Trump: Russia and Ukraine agree to halt attacks on energy targets; Zelensky: Willing to discuss a ceasefire in the energy sector.

There are signs of a temporary easing in the energy conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

According to Xinhua News Agency, US President Trump said on social media on the 14th that Russia and Ukraine have agreed not to attack each other's energy targets. Trump also stated that the rise in global diesel prices is mainly due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, not the war with Iran.

Trump's statement came earlier, on Monday, September 14th, when Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed his willingness to discuss a ceasefire in the energy sector. However, military operations by Russia and Ukraine on the port of Odessa, railway lines, and other targets continue, making it uncertain whether an energy ceasefire can truly be implemented.

As U.S. diesel prices continue to rise, Trump is pushing Russia and Ukraine to temporarily remove energy facilities from each other's targets. Last Friday, U.S. diesel prices broke $6 per gallon for the first time in history. During his visit to Ireland last Sunday, Trump directly linked the diesel price increase to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, claiming that Ukraine's attacks on Russian diesel facilities were causing a diesel shortage and stating, "This is not something caused by the Middle East."

Zelensky signaled a ceasefire on energy supplies the day before Trump called for an end to attacks on Russian diesel facilities.

The day before Trump announced these developments, he had publicly called on Zelensky to stop attacking Russian diesel facilities.

According to reports, Trump said during his visit to Ireland on Sunday, September 13: "Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop destroying Russia's diesel fuel facilities."

Trump also stated, "Let him go and hit other targets, but not diesel fuel, because he's causing a diesel shortage. This isn't caused by the Middle East, it's caused by what's happening in Russia and Ukraine."

Trump also stated at the time that he had discussed the issue with Zelensky and believed that the attacks on Russian oil refining facilities disrupted Russian diesel supplies, thereby affecting global markets. Reuters reported that Ukraine's continued use of long-range drones to attack Russian oil refineries in recent months has reduced Russian fuel production and caused domestic fuel shortages.

On September 14, Zelenskyy signaled his willingness to discuss an energy ceasefire. According to CCTV News, Zelenskyy stated that he is open to a ceasefire in the energy sector and plans to discuss it with Trump during their meeting in New York from September 21 to 23.

The fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues, and the conflict outside of energy facilities has not ceased.

However, the so-called "energy ceasefire" does not mean a complete ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Even as Trump announced that both sides had agreed to halt attacks on energy targets, military operations between Russia and Ukraine continued.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Monday that the Russian Aerospace Forces used attack drones to strike a cargo ship in the port of Odessa, which Russia said was transporting supplies to the Ukrainian armed forces. Interfax news agency reported that Russia also attacked railway infrastructure in western Ukraine and a dry bulk carrier in the port of Odessa.

Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday, citing a statement released by the Russian Ministry of Defense on social media, that Russian troops continued their advance in the direction of Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia over the past 24 hours, gaining control of three new settlements.

The report also stated that Russian tactical aviation, attack drones, missile units, and artillery struck targets in 142 regions of Ukraine, including logistics centers, energy and transportation infrastructure, drone assembly workshops, and warehouses. Additionally, the Russian Black Sea Fleet destroyed a Ukrainian unmanned surface vessel in waters near Crimea.

More concerning to Europe is the Russian military's previous attacks on western Ukraine, near the Polish border.

Media reports indicate that on September 13, a Russian drone attacked a train near Yahodyn, Ukraine, an area only about 2 kilometers from the Polish border. Shortly before the attack, a diplomatic train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former CIA Director David Petraeus, and others had passed through the area, prompting Ukrainian authorities to warn that the attack could pose a direct threat to Europe and NATO.

In addition, Russian drones attacked targets near the Jagotin-Dorohusk border crossing, which is close to the Polish border, temporarily disrupting border crossings. Poland expressed concern and called for further strengthening of its support for Ukraine.

Therefore, the arrangement Trump has described is closer to temporarily removing energy facilities from the targets of mutual attacks between Russia and Ukraine than a complete ceasefire. Russia had previously welcomed Trump's call for Ukraine to cease its attacks on Russian diesel facilities.

Diesel supply becomes a key variable in Trump's push for an "energy ceasefire".

Energy issues have become a key point of entry for Trump's recent intervention in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. US diesel prices have reached record highs, while ongoing attacks on Russian refining facilities by Ukraine, coupled with disruptions to energy transport caused by the Middle East situation, are putting even greater pressure on global refined petroleum product supplies.

Trump explicitly denied that the current diesel price increase should be primarily attributed to the war with Iran, arguing that the Russia-Ukraine conflict was a more significant factor. The International Energy Agency's monthly report released on September 11 also pointed out that damage to Russian refining systems and near-total halt in refined product exports have exacerbated global diesel supply losses; meanwhile, the Middle East conflict is also disrupting energy transportation.

Against this backdrop, if Russia and Ukraine could temporarily cease their attacks on each other's energy facilities, it could not only alleviate pressure on Russia's domestic fuel supply but also reduce further impact on the global diesel market. However, given that other battlefields between Russia and Ukraine continued on the 14th, the implementation and maintenance of this arrangement remains highly uncertain.

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