President Donald Trump called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be replaced, delivering his sharpest rebuke yet of the Ukrainian leader after Kyiv struck a Russian diesel refinery just after Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump told reporters Saturday as he traveled to Clarksville, Tennessee. “He can do whatever he wants, but he can’t do that because we have a world problem,” Trump said, referring to the refinery strike. “And the problem is caused by the lack of refineries for diesel fuel… He’d better damn well stop.”
Trump’s comments came hours after he announced a “highly successful” call with Putin, in which Russia agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to American and global markets immediately, another 500,000 tons in November, and 1,000,000 tons after that. Trump said Russia would then deliver 3,000,000 tons of diesel fuel, depending on the condition of its refineries.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Between our TOTAL CONTROL of the Strait of Hormuz, and this great announcement on Russian Energy, Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST! Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority.”
On Twitter, Trump wrote: “We told Zelensky, ‘You can do whatever you want to Russia, but don’t hit the refineries because that’s a world problem.’ And what does he do? He goes and hits the diesel fuel. He better damn well stop.”
A Direct Call for New Leadership
Speaking at greater length to reporters, Trump laid out his frustration with Zelensky’s conduct of the war and his refusal to negotiate an end to it.
Zelensky could have settled this war many times, many, many times, and he chooses not to. Very difficult. It’s a war that should have never been started, if I were present, if the election weren’t rigged, I would have been president and that war would have never started. But he could have settled it many times. And he chose not to.
Trump went further when asked about replacing Zelensky directly.
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. And let me go a step further. If I were president, you wouldn’t have ever had that war… You’ve lost 30% of your country and you’ve had over a million people killed… That’s a war that should have never started and I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.
It is believed to be Trump’s most direct public statement calling for Zelensky’s replacement. Ukraine has not held a presidential election since March 2019, more than seven years ago, despite European leaders framing the conflict as a defense of democracy.
A Shift From Earlier Tone
Trump has clashed with Zelensky before. After a tense Oval Office meeting in February, Trump told Zelensky he needed to pursue peace rather than criticize Putin.
He’s got to say,
