Trump says it is ‘time for Ukraine to get a new president’ in fresh row with Zelensky

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COMMENTSUS President Donald Trump has suggested it is “time for Ukraine to get a new president” after a public clash with Volodymyr Zelensky over a controversial agreement easing restrictions on Russian diesel exports.

The intervention marks one of Trump’s strongest attacks yet on the Ukrainian leader and comes as divisions grow between Washington and Kyiv over how to bring the war to an end.

Speaking outside the White House on Saturday, Trump accused Zelensky of creating problems by continuing to authorise strikes on Russian oil infrastructure and urged him to pursue a negotiated settlement with Moscow.

“He’d better damn well stop,” Trump said of attacks on Russian refineries.

The US president added that Ukraine should “get a new leader who can make a deal”, arguing that Zelensky had passed up opportunities to end the conflict.

The remarks came days after the US announced an agreement with Russia to suspend sanctions on Russian diesel exports until April, a move designed to increase fuel supplies and reduce energy costs.

The deal has been fiercely criticised by Kyiv. Zelensky warned it would hand the Kremlin fresh revenues that could be used to finance military operations against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president said the agreement amounted to a gift to Vladimir Putin, arguing that Moscow would interpret the move as a sign it could continue military action without facing additional economic pressure.

In a further rebuke, Zelensky accused Russia of seeing the deal as permission to “keep fighting” and “keep dropping bombs on cities” after renewed strikes on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia.

Under Ukraine’s wartime emergency laws, national elections remain suspended while the country remains under martial law.

Trump defended the agreement with Moscow by arguing that attacks on Russian refineries were contributing to instability in global energy markets.

“We said, ‘you can do whatever you want to Russia, don’t hit the refineries’, because that’s a world problem that’s caused,” he told reporters.

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The dispute comes against the backdrop of mounting pressure on global fuel supplies. Energy markets have been strained by conflict in the Middle East and continuing attacks by both Russia and Ukraine on energy and transport infrastructure.

Russia remains one of the world’s largest energy producers, making any disruption to exports significant for international fuel prices.

The latest comments from Trump were welcomed in Moscow. Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy for Putin, described the US president’s intervention as “iconic and historic” and said Ukraine needed leadership focused on securing peace.

The deal has also drawn criticism from European leaders. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said suspending sanctions would provide Russia with additional income to wage war and insisted Europe would continue to increase economic pressure on Moscow.

Downing Street said UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham had spoken with Zelensky on Saturday and reiterated Britain’s support for Ukraine.

According to a Number 10 spokesperson, the pair agreed that Russia should accept an immediate energy ceasefire and halt attacks on Black Sea shipping, steps they said could help ease pressure on global food and fuel supplies.