Is Trump's ceasefire declaration only on paper?

Facing growing pressure ahead of the midterm elections, U.S. President Donald Trump's frustration is palpable. After striking a diesel deal with Russia, he called for the Ukrainian president's ouster. Thereafter, he announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. However, Zelensky claimed that Russia does not want to accept an energy ceasefire, accusing it of attacking six Ukrainian energy sites on Monday itself. In the latest from the battlefield, at least 22 people, including two children, were injured in Russia's drone strikes on Kharkiv. The strikes destroyed the upper floors of a nine-story residential building and sparked a fire as well. In fact, a sports complex and a 12-story residential building were also reportedly targeted in the strikes. Ukraine's air force claimed to have shot down 89 out of 121 Russian drones fired overnight. Also, a 13-year-old girl was killed in a Russian strike in the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine. Local authorities also released footage of an alleged Russian strike on a street in Kharkiv, which reportedly killed three people and injured 20 others. Taking a whale's swipe at Donald Trump in the wake of these attacks, Zelensky is stressing that an energy ceasefire and other steps to reduce escalation are needed in reality and not just on Truth Social. And to buttress his point, he accused Russia of striking a power plant in Kharkiv immediately after Trump's ceasefire announcement. Not just that, the Ukrainian president also alleged that Russia carried out over 200 strikes on the country's electricity generation and transmission facilities. 200. In the last week, killing more than 150 people and injuring over 700 others, allegedly. Zelensky agreed to refrain from striking Russian energy infrastructure only if Moscow does the same. American pressure on Russia, not sanctions relief, not concessions, but real pressure so that we can achieve at least what the American president posted about yesterday, an energy ceasefire. And as part of a diesel deal, Trump claimed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the U.S., as well as the global marketplace. He added that Moscow would then supply 500,000 tons of diesel in November, followed by one million more after that. And this drew a strong rebuke from Canada. During his conversation with Zelensky, the Canadian prime minister emphasized that this agreement does not align with efforts to foster peace in Europe. He said, and I'm quoting, it will provide additional revenue for Russia and help finance its illegal, unjustifiable war against Ukraine. The French president, meanwhile, and also made light of Trump's ceasefire announcement while expressing willingness to work in a coordinated manner to lower the fuel prices, he warned against yielding to Russia's threats. Macron also emphasized the importance of facilitating transit of energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. I think there can be no reopening on energy issues if there is a real threat on both sides. Meanwhile, the European Union has upped the ante against Russia in its single biggest listing of sanctions since the beginning of the Ukraine war. EU imposed sanctions on almost 1,600 Russians and companies linked to the country's arms industry, reportedly disagreeing with the diesel deal. The bloc's foreign policy chief ruled out easing pressure on Russia. Listen to this. We are now adopting 1,600 listings because we only see that pressure on Russia would work. Russia has started this war. We should not forget about this. We should put the pressure on Russia so that they will stop. Because if they stop, Ukrainians also don't have to, you know, take any steps to defend their country. And similarly, the Polish leader threw his weight against Zelensky, threw his weight behind Zelensky rather, Maintaining that Ukraine will not be intimidated, he urged Europe to seriously consider stepping up sanctions against Russia. Other countries, including Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, also expressed solidarity with Ukraine. Despite overwhelming criticism from Europe, the U.S. continued to justify its diesel deal. The U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent maintaining that this agreement is good for American people as it will help bring fuel prices down. have given the Russians more money they have since the start of this war than they have given the Ukrainians because they cannot wean themselves off Russian energy. They had a failed energy policy and Vladimir Putin. Opposition to Trump is growing from within America as well. A group of four Republicans and three Democrats in the U.S. Senate, including Republican Senator Susan Collins urged the U.S. president to reverse course on the diesel deal with Russia. Even Mike Pompeo, who served as the U.S. Secretary of State during Trump's first presidency, called it a tactical mistake. Russia and the diesel, I think that's a mistake. We should, by the way, the Europeans continue to buy energy from Russia. That's a mistake, too. No, we should not provide any resources to the Russian regime. Now, while Russia said the discussions were ongoing regarding a possible energy ceasefire, it declined to comment on the specifics. Additionally, it rejected a 60 day ceasefire idea proposed by Zelensky to allow Ukraine to hold the presidential election while saying that Putin is ready to halt the strikes only on election day. The Kremlin expressed preference for an overall peace deal. With the growing rifts between the US and its allies and Trump's bonhomie with Putin and early cessation of hostilities in Ukraine seems quite unlikely right now.