Trump tells Ukraine to replace Zelensky over Russia fuel deal
President Trump called Saturday for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky with someone willing to make a deal with Russia to end the war. Why it matters: Trump's attack on Zelensky after the Ukrainian president criticized his diesel deal with Russia signals the most serious crisis between the two leaders since their February 2025 meeting exploded in front of cameras. Driving the news:…
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky with a new leader capable of negotiating a deal with Russia to cease the ongoing conflict. This statement comes after Zelensky criticized Trump's recent diesel deal with Russia, which the Ukrainian president deemed as unfair, dishonest, and a sign of weakness.
The crisis between the two leaders intensified following Trump's announcement of the deal with Russia, which involved lifting sanctions to permit Russian diesel exports into the U.S. and global markets. Zelensky expressed his dismay over the deal, claiming it was a birthday gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin. A U.S. official revealed that the diesel fuel agreement was reached following multiple requests from the U.S. for Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Trump stated that Zelensky had numerous opportunities to strike a deal with Russia but consistently declined. During a press conference on Saturday, Trump suggested that it was time for Ukraine to have a new president who could make such agreements. He emphasized the need for Zelensky to cease attacking Russian oil refineries, asserting that the Ukrainian leader's actions negatively impacted American farmers.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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