Ukrainians will decide their next leader, Zelensky tells Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to calls from US President Donald Trump to be replaced by stating that it is up to the Ukrainian people to choose their own leader. According to the Jerusalem Post and Free Malaysia Today, Trump suggested Ukraine needs a new president after criticizing Zelensky for attacks on Russian oil refineries, which Trump argued contributed to rising diesel prices.

Zelensky noted that Putin would also want to change Ukraine's leadership and told ABC News that it is easy to blame Ukraine for fuel prices when global prices are rising due to the war in the Middle East.

Zelensky stated he would organize elections if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day total ceasefire. As reported by the Jerusalem Post, Zelensky also expressed readiness to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow stops striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Regarding a potential energy ceasefire, Trump announced on social media that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to such an arrangement, effective immediately. France 24 reported that neither Kyiv nor Moscow confirmed this agreement, and Zelensky noted the development was news to him, though he added that Ukraine would accept an energy ceasefire if Russians agreed to one.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, Punch, Jerusalem Post, France 24, Free Malaysia Today — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.