Trump: I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president
US president demands that Kyiv stop attacking Russian oil refineries, saying the strikes hurt American farmers and ranchers
US President Donald Trump called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s replacement, accusing him of repeatedly passing up opportunities to reach a deal to end the war with Russia.
“I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump told journalists outside the White House on Saturday. “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal,” he said, adding: “For some reason he never does.”
Trump also demanded an end to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, accusing Zelensky of worsening a global diesel shortage and driving up costs for American farmers and ranchers. “He better damn well stop,” Trump said.
The remarks followed Trump’s surprise announcement on Friday of a diesel supply agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said Moscow would supply more than 300,000 tons immediately, another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons afterward, with a further 3 million tons depending on the condition of Russia’s refineries.
Washington temporarily eased sanctions on Russian diesel exports to allow the deliveries, relaxing restrictions intended to curb the energy revenues funding Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Zelensky told Axios that the agreement caught him by surprise, describing it as “not fair and not honest” and an unjustified gift to Putin.
Axios reported that Trump decided to pursue the agreement after Zelensky ignored six US requests to halt the refinery attacks, citing a US official with direct knowledge. Kyiv had offered a reciprocal halt: Zelensky told Trump and his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that Ukraine would stop targeting Russian refineries if Moscow stopped attacking Ukrainian power plants.
A Ukrainian official also told Axios that the envoys threatened to cut off US intelligence sharing if the strikes continued. A US official denied that account, saying Witkoff and Kushner had emphasized Washington’s military support and urged Kyiv to avoid actions that hurt American consumers.