Trump Urges Ukraine to Replace Zelensky After Diesel Deal Criticism

US President Donald Trump has called for a change of leadership in Ukraine, saying it is "time for Ukraine to get a new president," shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned a new American agreement to purchase Russian diesel.

The extraordinary exchange marks a sharp escalation in tensions between Washington and Kyiv, two countries that had been close allies since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Saturday, Trump said Zelensky "wants to make problems for the world" by continuing to authorise Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, and warned the Ukrainian leader to stop such strikes. He suggested Ukraine should "get a new leader who can make a deal."

The US president's remarks came in direct response to Zelensky's criticism of a deal, confirmed by Trump on Friday, that suspends American sanctions on Russian diesel exports until 7 April.

Under the arrangement, Russia would release an initial 300,000 tonnes of diesel "to the American and global marketplace," followed by an additional 500,000 tonnes in November. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that a further million tonnes would follow, and then another three million tonnes "within a short period of time" — though he noted this final delivery would be "based on the condition of their diesel refineries."

Zelensky warned that the agreement would hand Moscow fresh revenue to buy military equipment and sustain its war effort, describing it as a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also accused Moscow of interpreting the deal as licence to keep fighting and keep "dropping bombs on cities," following deadly new strikes on Zaporizhzhia.

The deal represents the latest attempt by Trump to bring down fuel prices in the United States ahead of the midterm elections, after months of political fallout from the war against Iran launched by the US and Israel. That conflict, which began in February, effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil products normally flows — sending petrol and especially diesel costs soaring.

According to AAA, the average price of diesel in the US now stands at $6.28 a gallon, up from $5.94 last month and just $3.68 a year ago. The surge has fuelled across-the-board inflation and soured Trump's standing with American voters, who have been hit hard by higher pump prices and the knock-on costs throughout the economy.

The global fuel supply crunch has been compounded by the war itself. Russia, a major diesel producer, and Ukraine have both intensified strikes on each other's energy infrastructure and transport facilities in recent months, further straining already tight global markets and pushing prices even higher.

The Kremlin welcomed Trump's intervention. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy, described the US president's comments as "iconic and historic," adding that Ukraine "needs leadership actually focused on peace" — a remark that underscores Moscow's eagerness to exploit the growing rift between Washington and Kyiv.

Trump's criticism of Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries reflects a striking shift in emphasis. Where the US previously supported Ukraine's efforts to degrade Russia's war machine, the American president now frames such attacks as a global economic problem. "We said, 'you can do whatever you want to Russia, don't hit the refineries,' because that's a world problem that's caused," Trump told reporters. "He could have made many deals and for some reason, he never does."

Zelensky spent Saturday speaking with several allies to discuss the rapidly shifting situation, calling for "real decisions to protect lives in Ukraine" and to safeguard European security. His diplomatic outreach appeared designed to shore up support in the face of Washington's overtures to Moscow.

A Downing Street spokesperson said UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham had spoken with Zelensky and offered his "complete solidarity." The two leaders agreed that Russia should accept "an immediate energy ceasefire" and halt its attacks on shipping in the Black Sea, according to the spokesperson, who argued that such a step "would immediately release more energy and food supplies into the global market."

The US-Russia diesel arrangement also drew sharp criticism from the European Union. Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign affairs chief, echoed Zelensky's concerns, saying the suspension of sanctions "provides Moscow with more revenues to wage war." She added: "This is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe won't." Kallas said European foreign ministers intended to approve the biggest set of sanctions on Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion during a meeting on Monday — a move that would put Brussels directly at odds with Washington's conciliatory approach.

The fuel shortages inside Russia illustrate the impact of Ukraine's drone campaign. Over the past ten months, Russia has experienced two waves of severe fuel shortages across the country, and diesel production has fallen by an estimated 30%, according to the International Energy Agency. Those figures help explain both Moscow's interest in securing sanctions relief and the pressure Ukraine's strikes have placed on Russian energy infrastructure.

This is not the first time Trump has called for a change of leadership in Kyiv. Last December, he urged Ukraine to hold new elections, saying voters should have the choice to replace Zelensky. Under martial law imposed after the February 2022 invasion, however, Ukraine has suspended elections, meaning any vote would be legally and practically fraught while the war continues.

The developments leave Ukraine in a precarious position: reliant on Western military and financial support, yet facing a US administration increasingly focused on domestic fuel prices and electoral politics. With Europe preparing fresh sanctions and the Kremlin openly celebrating Trump's remarks, the coming weeks are likely to test the cohesion of the international coalition that has backed Kyiv since 2022.