Trump on Zelensky: “It’s time for Ukraine to get a new president”, and he “better damn well stop” hitting Russian refineries

Donald Trump lashed out at Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, October 10, demanding that he stop striking Russian refineries and saying that Ukrainians should find a new leader. He was speaking to reporters at the White House, who asked whether his arrangement with Vladimir Putin on Russian diesel would prolong the war.

“He better damn well stop”

“Zelensky could have settled this war many times, many many times, and he chooses not to,” Trump said, according to the Kyiv Independent. “We said you could do whatever you want to Russia, don’t hit the refineries, because that’s a world problem that’s caused.” In the US president’s words, Zelensky “wants to make problems for the world, he wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel”, and “he better damn well stop”.

Asked about the daily attacks Ukrainians are under, Trump replied: “You know what I suggest? 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.” He added: “I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.”

The background: the diesel deal

The remarks came a day after the announcement of the Trump–Putin arrangement to put Russian diesel on international markets and ease the related sanctions. According to the Ukrainian outlet, Trump made no mention of the US war with Iran or the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which are considered the main cause of the diesel shortage, nor of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Ukraine had sent a delegation to the United States believing it would discuss an energy ceasefire with mutual commitments. Zelensky has said repeatedly that Kyiv is ready to stop striking Russian energy facilities provided Russia does the same.

Kyiv’s response

Zelensky wrote on social media that “Russia’s choice is war”, after Russian drone attacks on energy facilities and a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv. He said that every additional billion dollars Russia earns from exports would be spent on critical components, equipment for weapons production, upgrades to Shahed drones, missile production and the recruitment of mercenaries. He also said he had spoken with Emmanuel Macron about air defence, ahead of an expected escalation of missile attacks.

In the United States, Democratic senators such as Richard Blumenthal argue that the arrangement contravenes the sanctions law Trump himself signed three weeks ago, which allows tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil. Trump has called for elections in Ukraine before, a position Moscow consistently promotes to question Zelensky’s legitimacy.