AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Questions are hovering over a partial ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine that was announced by President Trump over the weekend. Now, according to Trump, both Moscow and Kyiv have agreed to halt attacks on each other's energy infrastructure. Less clear in all of this is whether Russia or Ukraine were aware of any plan at all. Joining us now to talk about this is NPR's Charles Maynes, who's on the line from Moscow. Hi, Charles.
CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE: Hey, Ailsa.
CHANG: OK. So this partial ceasefire announcement - it came directly from President Trump, and neither Russia nor Ukraine seems to have known about the plan at all. What's going on here? Like, give us more context on this situation.
MAYNES: Well, once again, Trump took to his Truth Social account to announce the news. He said both sides had promised to stop striking energy facilities - specifically, both parties have agreed. This is his quote - "do not break it." Well, the announcement clearly caught Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy off guard. He said as much in an interview. Moreover, speaking today by video link to a Warsaw security forum, Zelenskyy said Putin wasn't holding to the deal.
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PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: And immediately after the post, Russia launched a targeted strike on a power plant in Kharkiv, causing further damage to our energy system. It was clear that Putin does not read Truth Social.
CHANG: It was clear that Putin does not read Truth Social, Zelenskyy's words. OK, so at least that's Zelenskyy's take on Putin, but what is the Kremlin saying about this so-called partial ceasefire, or lack of?
MAYNES: Well, it's not quite clear what they think. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked about this directly today and had a very opaque response, telling reporters that contacts are ongoing, full stop.
CHANG: Well, whatever we call this - a ceasefire, a partial ceasefire, a ceasefire proposal - I guess we can call it proposal for now - it comes just days after Trump made another announcement, one about a deal with Putin for Russia to deliver diesel fuel to the U.S. How does that diesel fuel deal play into this, you think?
MAYNES: Well, I don't think you can ignore the timing. This diesel agreement, in effect, saw Trump lifting sanctions on Russia placed over the war in Ukraine with an eye towards pleasing American voters ahead of the midterms. Putin agreed to provide 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the U.S. and global markets immediately, with more to follow. Moreover, Trump has openly thanked Putin for providing the fuel while blaming Ukraine's attacks on Russian energy for driving up the cost of gas and diesel for American consumers.
In other words, he's blaming Ukraine for soaring gas prices at the pump, not, as many experts would argue, Iran and its blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. So in that light, this ceasefire announcement looks very much like Trump trying to protect his investment, so much that Trump, over the weekend, said he wanted to see new leadership in Kyiv, for Zelenskyy to go.
CHANG: OK. Well, back to the ceasefire proposal. Can we just assume for now that there is no deal? What are the holdups that have not been resolved and need to be resolved for any deal to actually happen?
MAYNES: Well, Ukraine is for a deal if it includes an end to Russian attacks on energy, heating and electrical facilities. But without that, you know, Trump is essentially asking Ukraine to give up one of the few real leverage points it has against a more powerful adversary. Meanwhile, Russia's long-held position is that anything less than a comprehensive peace deal, such as, for example, a ceasefire, is an opportunity for Ukraine to regroup and rearm. You know, Russia is interested in pressing its current leverage in missiles and drones to the maximum, particularly as we enter the winter months with Ukraine's air defenses depleted.
CHANG: That is NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Thank you, Charles.
MAYNES: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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