Trump calls for new Ukrainian leadership following Russian diesel agreement
Donald Trump said Ukraine should get a new leader, arguing Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not done enough to end the war. The comment came after Trump announced a deal to buy large amounts of Russian diesel, which Zelenskyy criticized as a gift to Moscow. Russia then launched deadly strikes on Ukraine, and Zelenskyy said the attacks were a response to the easing of sanctions on diesel exports.
The diesel purchase was unveiled while Ukrainian negotiators were in Miami for peace talks, catching Kyiv off guard. Trump framed the move as necessary to lower US diesel prices before November midterm elections, when fuel costs are a key voter concern. Zelenskyy warned that sanctions relief would fund Russia’s military and prolong the war.
Hours later, Russian strikes on south-eastern Ukraine killed 20 people, among them three children. Zelenskyy said glide bombs hit residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv experienced widespread power outages. The Kremlin portrayed the Trump-Putin conversation in warm, productive terms, while EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said the fuel arrangement would increase Moscow’s war funding.
The dispute may deepen uncertainty for Ukrainians facing continued strikes and power disruptions, while US voters worried about fuel prices could view the diesel deal as either relief or a risky geopolitical trade-off. European allies may face pressure to reassess sanctions coordination, and the rift between Kyiv and Washington could complicate peace efforts. Families in affected regions may bear the most immediate risks.