Russia has violated the announced energy truce just hours after Donald Trump said that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an immediate cessation of strikes on energy infrastructure. This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga after the strike on the Kharkov TPP-5.
„I informed Johan about the Russian strike on the Kharkov TPP-5, which was carried out a few hours ago. Russia violated the energy truce immediately after its announcement“, Szybiga wrote after a conversation with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful. According to him, Ukraine remains ready for a full energy truce if Russia stops attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced that after Trump's statement, attacks were carried out on TPP-5 in Kharkiv and on a power plant in Kiev. The Russian side has not publicly commented on the announced truce.
The dispute over Russian diesel fuel
Against this backdrop, seven US senators from both parties criticized Trump's decision to allow the import of Russian diesel fuel into the US. In a joint statement, Jeanne Shaheen, Susan Collins, Richard Blumenthal, Lisa Murkowski, Ron Wyden, Tom Tillis and John Curtis said that Washington should not provide a “financial lifeline” of Vladimir Putin while Russia continues its war against Ukraine.
The senators argue that in 2022, Congress clearly banned the import of Russian energy carriers in order to prevent Russian aggression from being financed with American funds. According to them, the president's decision directly contradicts the law, and the administration did not conduct the required consultations with Congress and did not provide sufficient explanations.
“The United States should not throw Putin a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill civilians in Ukraine“, the statement said.
Trump said on October 9 that he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the American and world markets. A bipartisan bill has already been introduced in Congress, which, according to the sponsor, Brian Fitzpatrick, should prevent the president from lifting sanctions. The proposal is called the “Ronald Reagan “Peace Through Strength“ Act“.