Trump Says Ukraine Needs New Leader Amid Dispute Over Russia Diesel Deal
The criticism came after a Ukrainian strike on a major Russian oil hub hours after Trump reached a diesel agreement with Russia.
President Donald Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step down on Saturday, alleging that the leader had repeatedly refused to end the conflict with Russia and defied a U.S. warning to refrain from attacking Russian oil infrastructure. The comments marked Trump's strongest push for Zelensky's replacement. This followed a strike by Ukraine on a major Russian oil hub just hours after Trump struck a diesel fuel agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, further aggravating tensions over Kyiv's campaign against infrastructure supporting Moscow's energy sector.
Republican lawmakers expressed concerns that Trump's deal could bolster Russia's war efforts. The Ukrainian strike threatened to deepen the rift between Trump and Zelensky, particularly after Trump asserted he had warned Zelensky against targeting Russian refineries. Trump's demand for new leadership in Ukraine marked a further deterioration in his relationship with Zelensky and coincided with his assertion that the Ukrainian president had hindered efforts to conclude the war.
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