Donald Trump has announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, apparently without consulting Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said the deal to stop long-range attacks was “news to me”.
asserted
deal → announce → me
In a social media post, the US president claimed the two sides had reached an agreement.
asserted
sides → claim → agreement
Both parties have agreed.
asserted
parties → agree → ?
Do not break it!” he wrote on Truth Social.
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he → break → Social
He offered no further details.
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He → offer → details
Zelenskyy said he was surprised by the announcement but would agree to it if Vladimir Putin did the same.
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Putin → say → same
“If President Trump negotiated it with Putin – please tell us when the ceasefire begins.
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ceasefire → negotiate → us
We are ready and we will accept it,” the Ukrainian president told the Axios website.
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president → accept → website
Earlier, Zelenskyy rebuffed Trump’s demand made on Saturday that Kyiv stop bombing Russian oil refineries.
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Kyiv → rebuff → refineries
Zelenskyy said Moscow had to first halt its own “brutal” attacks on his country’s energy infrastructure.
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Moscow → say → infrastructure
Any deal to end long-range drone strikes by Ukraine on targets inside Russia would have to be “reciprocal”, he said.
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he → end → Russia
It should be backed by “real guarantees” – meaning punitive measures against Moscow from Ukraine’s allies, including the US.
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It → back → US
This is not the first time Trump has announced an energy ceasefire deal.
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Trump → announce → deal
He made the same claim in September, which turned out to be untrue.
uncertain
which → make → September
Ukrainian officials said Russia was still bombing Ukraine on Sunday, with several energy sites damaged.
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sites → say → Sunday
The fast-moving row between Washington and Kyiv began on Friday when Trump announced he was lifting sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
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he → move → exports
He said the move would reduce global and domestic fuel prices before next month’s US midterm elections.
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move → say → elections
A furious Zelenskyy called the decision “weak” and said it would generate “billions” in extra revenue for Putin, enabling him to wage war “even more intensely”.
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it → call → war
An equally irate Trump said Zelenskyy should “damn well stop” hitting Russian refineries.
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Zelenskyy → say → refineries
Ukraine needed a “new leader”, he said on Saturday.
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he → need → Saturday
Responding to Trump, Zelenskyy said it was up to Ukrainians to choose “one or another leader”.
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it → respond → one
He told ABC News he was willing to accept Trump’s demands and to organise elections, but only if Putin agreed to a “total” 60-day ceasefire.
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Putin → tell → ceasefire
The bitter public feud is the most serious between the US and Ukraine since last year, when Trump berated Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
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Trump → berate → Office
The New York Times has reported that US officials have offered the Kremlin lucrative economic incentives in exchange for a ceasefire.
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officials → report → ceasefire
They reportedly include releasing billions in Russian sovereign assets that are frozen.
uncertain
that → include → assets
The Trump administration also revisited a plan to sell parts of Russia’s energy company, Lukoil.
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administration → revisit → company
The multibillion deal would benefit Middle Eastern investors, the paper reported, some with “business ties” to US negotiators.
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paper → benefit → negotiators
On Saturday, Trump berated Zelenskyy and said he had refused to make a deal to end the fighting.
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he → berate → fighting
In response, Ukraine’s president laid the blame for Europe’s biggest war since 1945 on “Russia and Russia alone”.
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president → lay → Russia
“It is possible to stop strikes on energy infrastructure as early as today, but Putin does not want to do so,” he said.
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he → stop → today
Ukrainian officials point out that the White House is demanding Kyiv give up its most effective weapon, without demanding any corresponding concessions from Russia.
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Kyiv → point → Russia
In recent weeks, Kyiv has dealt a major blow to Russia’s economy, striking oil complexes, warehouses and datacentres.
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Kyiv → deal → complexes
On Saturday it killed 23 people in the city of Zaporizhzhia, including four children, and hit a five-storey apartment block in the frontline town of Sloviansk.
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it → kill → Sloviansk
Zelenskyy said Moscow’s aerial campaign involved thousands of aerial bombs and jet-powered drones.
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campaign → say → bombs
It continued “unabated”, he said.
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he → continue → ?
The head of Ukraine’s foreign affairs committee, Oleksandr Merezhko, said Trump’s “bullying” demand for Zelenskyy to quit had strengthened him at home “paradoxically”, after recent damaging corruption scandals.
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Zelenskyy → say → scandals
“Putin’s plan is to decapitate Zelenskyy and remove him as a wartime leader.
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plan → decapitate → leader
Trump is siding with Putin,” Merezhko said.
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Merezhko → side → Putin
He added: “I’m afraid that behind this situation is Trump’s worldview.
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worldview → add → situation
He wants to do business with Putin.
asserted
He → want → Putin
…and 16 more, not listed.
The Aporia
