EU top diplomat says will welcome Ukraine energy truce 'when it holds'

BRUSSELS: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday (Oct 12) the bloc would welcome a truce on striking energy infrastructure between Ukraine and Russia "when it holds", after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire.

"We welcome the energy ceasefire when it holds. We haven't yet seen that also Russia will stick to it," Kallas said at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Kallas said any truce needed to cover more than just oil refineries in the two countries "where Ukraine has one and Russia has plenty, so it's definitely in the benefit of the Russians".

Trump sowed confusion on Sunday by announcing an "energy ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia that sparked astonishment in Kyiv and silence from Moscow.

Any truce appeared shaky at best as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia struck multiple Ukrainian power plants on Sunday, including one in the capital and another in Kharkiv, leading to power outages and outrage.

Kyiv's Western backers said they supported its calls for a genuine ceasefire with Russia.

Australia added its voice Monday to say it backed an "energy ceasefire", while urging Moscow to "end its unjustified and unprovoked invasion" of its neighbour.

Trump's announcement came two days after he declared a temporary easing of US sanctions on Russian diesel, prompting outrage by European allies and Kyiv, who said it would only embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"If we want to end this war, the only way we can do this is putting more pressure on Russia," Kallas said, urging Washington instead to ramp up sanctions on Moscow.

EU ministers on Monday were due to add around another 1,600 individuals and entities to its own sanctions blacklist over the war on Ukraine.

The new major wave of listings will focus mainly on the Russian military and arms industry.