Trump Says Ukraine Should Get a New President as He Blames Zelenskyy for US Diesel Prices
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, suggesting Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not done enough to end his country's war with Russia and blaming him for high diesel prices in the U.S.
President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine should install a new leader to resolve the ongoing conflict, blaming President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the country's war with Russia and for high diesel prices in the United States. Trump claimed that Zelenskyy "could have made many deals" but never did.
The U.S. President struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to purchase diesel from Russia amid high fuel prices before the U.S. midterm elections. Trump has been urging Zelenskyy to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and has blamed record U.S. diesel prices on Ukraine instead of the U.S.-led war in Iran.
Ukrainian and European officials criticized the decision, stating that it would fund Russia's war efforts. Diesel prices have surged due to multiple factors, including the impact of the Iran war on oil production and increased oil product prices. According to a poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of Iran and believe he is responsible for higher prices.
Trump alleged that if he had been U.S. president in 2022, "that war would have never started" and that it was due to "incompetence." Zelenskyy reported that approximately 20% of Ukraine's territory is under Russian control, and over a million people have been displaced, with over 2 million killed. Independent estimates suggest roughly 20% of Ukraine's territory is under Russian control, while British defense officials estimate that about half a million Russian soldiers have been killed in the war, and there are no recent reliable estimates about Ukrainian casualties.
Trump's intervention came after Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, including three children, when Russian aerial bombs hit residential buildings in the area. Zelenskyy accused Russia of using the sanctions lifting for diesel exports to fund weapons, missile production, and the recruitment of mercenaries, asserting that Russia would only cease the war when its ability to fight diminished.
Ukrainian officials are coordinating measures to counter the additional revenue Russia will gain from exports, and Zelenskyy discussed the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron. The announcement sparked anger and resignation among Ukrainians, with some accusing Trump of lacking concern for the situation and only being interested in oil and fuel prices.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
