Trump Calls for New Ukrainian President, Blames Zelenskyy for US Diesel Prices

US President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to elect a new president, accusing Volodymyr Zelenskyy of failing to secure an end to the war with Russia and blaming Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for contributing to rising diesel prices in the United States.

Trump made the remarks on Saturday, October 10, as tensions between Washington and Kyiv intensified over his administration’s reported agreement to purchase diesel from Russia. The deal has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials, who argue that Russian energy revenues help finance Moscow’s ongoing invasion.

“I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Trump told reporters, according to the Associated Press.

The US president also accused Zelenskyy of creating problems for American farmers and ranchers by targeting Russian energy infrastructure. Trump has been pressing Ukraine to stop attacks on Russian refineries, arguing that the strikes are disrupting fuel supplies and contributing to higher prices.

However, energy analysts have linked rising fuel costs to several factors, including disruptions to global oil supplies associated with the US-Israeli war involving Iran and instability affecting energy markets. Trump’s comments placed much of the blame on Ukraine’s attacks, while broader market pressures remain part of the price picture.

The dispute escalated after Trump announced that Russia would supply the United States with diesel in a bid to ease domestic fuel costs. According to his announcement, Russia would initially deliver more than 300,000 tonnes, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and additional shipments thereafter.

The agreement has prompted criticism from Ukraine and some US political figures, who say purchases of Russian fuel could provide Moscow with additional revenue while its forces continue fighting in Ukraine. Trump’s administration has also temporarily eased certain energy sanctions to allow Russian diesel supplies to reach the global market.

Zelenskyy responded by defending Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil facilities, saying they were part of the country’s efforts to resist Moscow’s invasion. He argued that additional revenue from Russian energy exports would help fund weapons production and prolong the war.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha also pushed back against Trump’s call for a new president, saying Zelenskyy had the support of the Ukrainian people and that Ukrainians alone had the right to choose their country’s leadership.

The comments came as Russia continued its attacks on Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in the Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday, including children, while residential buildings were damaged. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of targeting civilian areas and energy infrastructure.

Trump also claimed that the war could have been prevented had he been president in 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. He argued that Zelenskyy had lost territory and that a different Ukrainian leader might be better positioned to negotiate a settlement.

The latest exchange underscores growing differences between Washington and Kyiv over how to end the war, the role of Russian energy exports and the conditions under which Ukraine should negotiate with Moscow. It also places the future of US support for Ukraine under renewed scrutiny as Trump faces domestic pressure over fuel costs ahead of November’s midterm elections.