Trump Says It Is Time For Ukraine To Get New President After Zelensky Criticizes Russia Diesel Deal

US President Donald Trump stated that it is time for Ukraine to get a new president following Volodymyr Zelensky’s public condemnation of a new US-Russia diesel agreement. Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Saturday, Trump asserted that the Ukrainian president wants to create global problems by continuing to authorize military strikes on Russian refineries.

US Suspends Russian Diesel Sanctions to Lower Fuel Prices

The diplomatic friction stems from an agreement confirmed by the US president on Friday, which suspends sanctions on Russian diesel exports until April 7. The arrangement aims to lower fuel prices in the United States ahead of the midterm elections, addressing months of political fallout stemming from the Iran war that began in February.

That conflict has pushed the cost of petrol and diesel sharply higher, driving across-the-board inflation and souring public opinion. According to data from the AAA, the average price of diesel stands at $6.28 a gallon, rising from $5.94 the previous month and $3.68 the prior year.

Under the terms of the deal, Moscow will release an initial 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the global and American marketplace, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November. Trump outlined on Truth Social that a further million tonnes would follow, with an additional three million tonnes delivered shortly thereafter, conditioned on the operational state of Russian refineries. Over the preceding 10 months, Ukrainian drone strikes on oil facilities caused two severe fuel shortages across Russia, reducing domestic diesel production by an estimated 30% according to the International Energy Agency.

Zelensky Warns Diesel Pact Funds Russian Military Campaign

Zelensky sharply criticized the pact, warning that releasing millions of tonnes of Russian diesel into the US market provides Moscow with critical funds to continue its military campaign. Labeling the agreement a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian leader argued that Moscow would interpret the sanctions relief as permission to keep fighting and dropping bombs on cities, following deadly strikes in Zaporizhzhia.

On Saturday, Zelensky conferred with multiple allies to demand concrete actions to protect civilian lives in Ukraine and defend European security. His position found backing from the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas, who stated that easing sanctions gives Moscow extra revenue to wage war. Kallas added that Europe refuses to ease pressure on Russia and noted that European foreign ministers plan to approve the largest package of sanctions since the full-scale invasion on Monday.

Trump Urges Ukraine to Stop Targeting Russian Refineries

Outside the White House, Trump escalated his rhetoric against the Ukrainian leadership, declaring that Zelensky had better damn well stop targeting Russian refineries and suggesting that Ukraine needs a new leader who can make a deal. Trump noted that he previously advised Ukrainian authorities against striking refineries because those attacks create worldwide economic problems, adding that Zelensky has repeatedly passed up opportunities to make deals.

Trump has previously urged new elections last December. Because Ukraine has remained under martial law since the war erupted in 2022, national elections are currently suspended.

More on this story: Trump and Putin Strike Diesel Deal; Zelenskyy Condemns Sanctions Waiver · Trump and Putin agree on Russian diesel shipments to global markets