US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that it is “time for Ukraine to get a new president,” marking a sharp escalation in rhetoric following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public criticism of a new agreement between Washington and Moscow regarding diesel exports.
The deal, confirmed by Trump on Friday, suspends sanctions on Russian diesel shipments until April 7 of next year. Zelensky strongly opposed the arrangement, warning that it would provide President Vladimir Putin with crucial revenue to sustain Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. Speaking shortly after a meeting at the White House, Trump accused Zelensky of creating global instability by continuing to authorize drone strikes against Russian oil refineries.
“He’d better damn well stop,” Trump said, adding that Kyiv should seek a leader capable of striking a favorable deal. The US president reiterated that American officials had previously instructed Ukraine not to target refineries, arguing that such strikes create worldwide economic problems rather than solving them.
The disagreement highlights deepening fractures over strategy as both nations have intensified attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure and logistics hubs. Zelensky described the diesel deal as a gift to Putin, asserting that Moscow will interpret the sanction relief as permission to continue bombing Ukrainian cities, citing recent deadly strikes on Zaporizhzhia.
European leaders have joined Zelensky in condemning the agreement. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, stated that lifting sanctions only provides Moscow with additional funds for war, insisting that Europe will not ease pressure on Russia. She announced that European foreign ministers are set to approve their largest package of sanctions against Moscow since the full-scale invasion began on Monday.
For Trump, the diesel agreement represents an effort to curb rising fuel costs ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The US has faced significant inflationary pressures since the outbreak of conflict in Iran in February, which drove diesel prices sharply upward. According to AAA data, the average price for diesel has climbed to $6.28 per gallon, up from $5.94 last month and significantly higher than the $3.68 recorded a year ago.
Under the terms of the deal, Russia will release an initial 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets, followed by an additional 500,000 tonnes in November. Trump indicated on Truth Social that another million tonnes would follow, with a potential total of four million tonnes depending on the condition of Russian refining capacity.
Ukraine’s drone campaigns have previously forced two waves of severe fuel shortages across Russia over the past ten months, with the International Energy Agency estimating a 30% drop in Russian diesel production. This marks the second time Trump has called for fresh elections in Ukraine; he made similar remarks last December, though elections remain suspended under the martial law currently in effect since the war began in 2022.
Four million tonnes of Russian diesel? This deal seems like a gift to Putin wrapped in economic desperation.
Calling for a new Ukrainian leader over a fuel deal feels like blatant interference. Is this diplomacy or bullying?
Wait, the article says inflation from the Iran conflict? Did I miss a major escalation in February? That’s alarming if true.
If Trump is prioritizing diesel prices over Ukraine’s survival, the alliance is fundamentally broken. Zelensky is right.