President Donald Trump on Saturday called for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of failing to end the war with Russia and blaming him for high U.S. diesel prices.
Speaking to reporters at the White House before departing for Tennessee, Trump said, “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.” He added, “I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” and claimed Zelenskyy “wants to make problems for the world” by authorizing strikes on Russian oil refineries. “He better damn well stop,” Trump said .
The remarks followed Trump’s announcement on Friday of a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports, allowing Moscow to supply 300,000 tons immediately and 500,000 tons in November. Zelenskyy condemned the agreement as a “gift to Putin” that would finance Russia’s war, stating, “Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged” .
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha defended Zelenskyy, saying he “has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide.” Russian economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev praised Trump’s stance as “iconic and historic,” adding that Ukraine “needs leadership actually focused on peace” .
Trump has repeatedly urged Zelenskyy to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, arguing they drive up global fuel prices. He also claimed the war “should have never started” and would not have occurred if he had been president in 2022 .
