In Other News · United States · Politics

Source: Axios

President Trump's announcement Sunday about an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine referred to a potential deal that includes each side stopping attacks on oil refineries — and he expects Volodymyr Zelensky to abide by it, a White House official said. The official said if attacks on oil refineries cease, a deal to stop hitting power plants and energy grids could come next. Why it matters: Trump appears to be singlehandedly trying to will a partial ceasefire into existence. But for now Russia hasn't accepted any kind of ceasefire — and Ukraine wants one that forbids attacks on power plants. Reality check: The "refinery for refinery" proposal, as the official dubbed it, is lopsided. A Ukrainian official told Axios that the country has a single oil refinery which the Russians have attacked multiple times and isn't fully functional. Russia, by contrast, has a vast network of refineries."We import diesel and gas. What we need is for the Russians to stop attacking our electricity grid," the Ukrainian official said."The Russians are thinking about" it, the White House official said. "We will know soon if they are ready."Case in point: Hours after Trump's announcement, Russia conducted strikes on power plants in Ukraine,...