US President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to get a new president, accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of failing to end the war with Russia and contributing to rising diesel prices in the United States.
Trump made the remarks to reporters at the White House on Saturday, October 10, arguing that Zelensky had rejected several opportunities to reach a peace agreement with Moscow.
“I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump said.
“Zelenskiy could have settled this war many times, many, many times, and he chooses not to,” he added, suggesting that Ukraine needed a leader willing to negotiate a deal with Russia.
Trump also warned Zelensky against continuing attacks on Russian oil refineries, claiming the strikes were worsening global diesel shortages and putting pressure on American farmers and ranchers.
“There’s plenty of targets. Don’t hit refineries,” Trump said, recounting his warning to the Ukrainian leader.
“He better damn well stop,” the US president added.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian energy infrastructure as part of its efforts to weaken Moscow’s ability to finance its invasion.
Trump’s comments followed a reported agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to supply diesel to the US to help address rising fuel prices ahead of the American midterm elections.
The proposed arrangement has drawn criticism from Ukrainian and European officials, who argue that lifting sanctions on Russian diesel exports would provide Moscow with additional revenue to sustain its war effort.
Trump has also blamed Ukraine for record-high US diesel prices, rather than the US-led war in Iran, which has contributed to rising global energy costs.
The US president further claimed that the conflict could have been avoided if he had been in office in 2022.
“If I had been president, that war would have never started. There was no reason that war with Ukraine and Russia started. It started due to incompetence,” Trump said.
His remarks came as Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in the Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said three children were among those killed when Russian aerial bombs hit residential buildings, while at least 18 people were wounded.
Ukraine has also faced intensified Russian bombardments in recent days, with reports indicating that more than 60 people had been killed across the country over four days.
Reacting to the proposed diesel arrangement, Zelensky said Russia had responded to the prospect of sanctions relief by attacking civilian areas.
“Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Zelensky wrote on X.
He warned that every additional billion dollars Russia earned from exports would help finance weapons components, drone upgrades, missile production and the recruitment of mercenaries.
According to Zelensky, Moscow would only be prepared to stop fighting when its capacity to wage war was significantly reduced.
The Ukrainian leader said Kyiv was coordinating measures to counter the additional revenue Russia could receive and had spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron about strengthening Ukraine’s air defences.
Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian forces remain engaged in a long-range aerial campaign, even as fighting along much of the front line remains largely deadlocked.
The latest exchanges highlight continuing disagreements between Washington and Kyiv over military strategy, sanctions and the terms of a potential settlement, with diplomatic efforts yet to produce a breakthrough in ending the war.
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