President Donald Trump called for Ukraine to get a new president Saturday, arguing that Volodymyr Zelenskyy had failed to reach a deal to end Russia’s war. “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Trump told reporters, according to The Associated Press.
Trump also blamed Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s strikes on Russian energy infrastructure for high U.S. diesel prices, saying the Ukrainian leader was creating problems for American farmers and ranchers. The remarks escalated weeks of pressure from Washington for Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries.
The diesel dispute behind the remarks
Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to buy Russian diesel, presenting it as an effort to lower fuel costs before the U.S. midterm elections. The announced schedule starts with more than 300,000 tons, followed by additional deliveries in November and afterward, AP reported.
Ukraine and several European governments criticized the agreement because added Russian energy revenue could help fund Moscow’s war. AP reported that diesel prices have risen amid several pressures, including disruptions to Middle East oil supplies during the Iran war.
Zelenskyy told Axios the diesel agreement was “not fair and not honest.” He said he could have supported easing energy sanctions if it were part of a reciprocal winter ceasefire covering attacks on energy infrastructure in both Russia and Ukraine.
The war continued alongside the political rift
Trump’s comments came the same day Russian bombs hit residential buildings in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. Ukrainian officials said 20 people were killed, including three children, and 18 others were wounded, Reuters reported.
Zelenskyy argued that easing pressure on Moscow signaled that Russia could continue fighting. Kyiv has pushed for a mutual halt to attacks on energy facilities rather than a unilateral stop.
