Trump Calls for New Ukrainian Leadership, Links Zelenskyy to Diesel Costs
In a White House interview, President Donald Trump said Ukraine should choose a new president and blamed Volodymyr Zelenskyy for high U.S. diesel prices and the failure to end the war. Trump also accused Zelenskyy of causing global instability by continuing strikes on Russian oil refineries. The comments followed Zelenskyy's criticism of a U.S.-Russia diesel purchase deal and came as Ukrainian negotiators met U.S. officials in Miami.
The remarks came as Kyiv’s negotiators met U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Miami. According to Financial Times sources, the Ukrainian side learned of the diesel arrangement unexpectedly, and U.S. officials cautioned that intelligence cooperation might be curtailed unless refinery strikes stopped.
Washington’s waiver on Russian diesel exports runs through April 7, 2027, with shipments planned for October, November, and later. European officials, including Sweden’s prime minister and Germany’s spokesman, kept distance from the move; the EU’s Kaja Kallas said reduced pressure on Moscow could fund the war.
The diesel arrangement may ease near-term cost pressure on U.S. farmers, truckers, and consumers, though its diplomatic fallout could strain Washington’s ties with Kyiv and European allies. If intelligence sharing is reduced or refinery strikes pause, Ukraine’s battlefield position and negotiating leverage may suffer. European governments could face pressure to explain why they maintain sanctions while Washington temporarily relaxes them, potentially complicating unified policy and public trust.