Trump calls for new Ukrainian leadership and urges halt to refinery strikes
US President Donald Trump said Ukraine needs a new president who can make a deal to end the war and told Volodymyr Zelensky to stop attacking Russian oil refineries. A Kremlin economic envoy welcomed Trump's remarks. The comments came as Russian strikes on Ukraine killed at least 21 people, including four children.
Trump made the remarks at the White House, saying Ukraine’s president should halt attacks on Russian refineries and that a new leader able to reach a deal was needed. The Kremlin’s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, praised the comments online, while Ukraine’s foreign minister said Zelensky deserved support.
The same day, Russian strikes killed at least 21 people in Ukraine, including four children. An attack on Zaporizhzhia killed at least 15, among them three children. Moscow said its drones hit a Kyiv data-processing site and a cargo vessel bound for Odesa. Washington had moved to ease sanctions on Russian diesel, and a Ukrainian delegation was returning from Miami talks.
The remarks may deepen uncertainty for Ukrainians enduring continued attacks, especially families in Zaporizhzhia and other targeted communities. They could affect morale in Kyiv and how allied governments assess US support. Easing diesel sanctions may influence energy markets and Russian revenue, with possible knock-on effects for consumers and Ukraine’s war effort. Kremlin praise may reinforce concerns that pressure on Moscow is easing.