Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would end its voluntary hold on strikes against Russian oil-refining infrastructure, attributing the decision to a period of restraint that followed an energy ceasefire proposal from US President Donald Trump — a period he characterised as one during which Russian attacks intensified and Starlink service deteriorated.

Zelenskyy told a London-based broadcaster that the matter had reached its end. He also took issue with what he described as Washington's readiness to pursue commercial arrangements with Moscow, along with Trump's apparent closeness to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. When asked to characterise the relationship between the two leaders, Zelenskyy described Trump as someone drawn to authoritarian figures and people of great wealth, adding that Trump himself had stated publicly and without reservation that he holds such individuals in high regard. Zelenskyy argued that the capacity to hold power for two, three, or even four decades reflects, in his view, a particular kind of entrenched authority.

Reports from one broadcaster described a situation in which the administration had been pushing Kyiv to stand down from drone and missile operations targeting oil-refining facilities inside Russia, with the reasoning put forward by officials being that suspending those strikes — combined with a deal to purchase hundreds of thousands of tonnes of Russian diesel — stood to bring domestic fuel prices down. Zelenskyy separately told journalists that he had placed a three-day suspension on attacks against energy infrastructure, citing that request as the basis for the decision.

Strikes on Ukraine's power grid and residential areas persisted over the period, with fatality figures from the preceding seven days reaching above one hundred. Notwithstanding Ukraine's halt on strikes, Zelenskyy added, its troops had been cut off from US ballistic missile approach alerts. Bandwidth restrictions placed on the Starlink satellite network — operated by a private technology and space venture — reduced the quality of connectivity available to troops, affecting both their ability to coordinate at the front and to carry out strikes against military targets at medium range.

Relations between Kyiv and Washington have grown notably strained, reaching a degree of discord not recorded since a tense White House exchange in February 2025, according to a broadcaster's report on the two countries' deteriorating diplomatic ties. Zelenskyy characterised the alliance with the United States as both grounded in principle and vital to Ukraine's military position against Russia — drawing a comparison to Kyiv's relationship with the United Kingdom — and, when asked whether Ukraine would hold back strikes on oil refineries as a step toward easing tensions with the White House, he made clear that any such restraint depended on Washington supplying additional Patriot interceptor systems of American origin.

His contention was that halting strikes on oil refineries could pave the way for broader arrangements between the US and Russia, with any revenue generated potentially channelled into the continuing military effort — and he posed the question of when a subsequent deal might materialise. One possibility under consideration, he indicated, involves natural gas. Zelenskyy expressed certainty that gas would be the means involved.

Zelenskyy noted that the halt in US intelligence-sharing and the disruption to Starlink access had placed Ukraine in a more exposed position, and he expressed the view that — while a path forward existed — providing Putin with renewed momentum or resolve would be an outcome to avoid.

On 11 October, Trump's Truth Social account carried a post stating that an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine had taken effect immediately. The announcement described a mutual agreement to halt strikes against energy infrastructure — yet neither side had actually been notified that any such arrangement was in place. Journalist Ravid, reporting for the outlet, conveyed that Zelenskyy had no prior knowledge of the Trump-announced ceasefire on energy infrastructure between the two warring nations, though Ukraine's position was one of support for the arrangement.

Zelenskyy disclosed that attacks on CHP-5, a combined heat and power facility in Kharkiv, along with a power station in Kyiv, had taken place in the wake of Trump's remarks. Speaking on 13 October, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine had held back from attacking Russian oil refineries and energy infrastructure over the preceding two days, a restraint he tied to a proposal put forward by Trump. Strikes on Ukrainian power grids and civilian infrastructure have been carried out by Russian forces.