Lavrov says Ukraine is not honoring energy ceasefire deal

(MENAFN) Ukrainian forces have consistently breached a U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement by targeting Russian energy infrastructure, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after a Security Council meeting, Lavrov explained that Defense Minister Andrey Belousov had updated President Vladimir Putin on ongoing violations of the energy ceasefire, which was agreed upon in mid-March. According to Belousov, Russian energy facilities have been under attack throughout the supposed truce, with only brief pauses. Lavrov noted that he also relayed a similar assessment to the president, detailing recent drone attacks carried out by Ukraine, including incidents from the previous night.

The 30-day energy ceasefire was proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump during a call with Putin on March 18. Putin agreed and ordered Russian forces to stop targeting Ukrainian energy sites. In response, the Russian military intercepted seven drones that were already en route to Ukrainian energy facilities in order to comply with the order.

The scope of the truce includes a wide range of infrastructure: oil and gas processing and storage sites, pipelines, electricity facilities, nuclear power plants, and hydroelectric dams. The agreement can be extended if both Russia and Ukraine agree.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky initially supported the ceasefire publicly, calling it a diplomatic "victory" and stating that both sides had agreed not to target each other’s energy infrastructure. However, he did not confirm whether any formal military orders were issued to enforce the agreement.

Despite Zelensky's public support, Moscow has accused Ukraine of repeatedly violating the ceasefire by attacking energy targets with drones. Russian officials have stated that continued violations by Kiev would free Moscow from its own obligations under the agreement.

MENAFN29042025000045015687ID1109486075