Zelensky says critics blaming him for Russia-Ukraine war ‘can’t find a key how to stop Putin’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy on Sunday pushed back on critics saying he should step down and allow his country to hold elections, saying they “can’t find a key [for] how to stop” Russian President Vladimir Putin.

ABC News’s Jonathan Karl asked Zelensky on “This Week” about President Trump’s criticism, in which he told reporters Friday that Ukraine should “get a new leader who can make a deal” after the Ukrainian president denounced the U.S.-Russia diesel deal. Karl also referred to Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently suggesting Zelensky has “gone too far.”

“These people can’t find a key how to stop Putin,” Zelensky replied. “Because it’s more difficult to stop Putin than to pressure others. Because it’s more simple to speak about the prices and connect it with Ukraine.”

He said that the world understands that oil prices have soared because of the Iran war and the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. This goes against Trump’s claims that the Russia-Ukraine war has caused oil prices to rise — not the conflict with Iran’s regime.

“And if we want to speak with people fairly, if we want to be clear, if we want to speak with our nations openly, we have to stop –– I mean, people have to hear reality,” Zelensky added. “Don’t play games with people.”

Zelensky said it will be up to the Ukrainian people to decide on a new president, but that holding a secure election now would be really difficult due to the war.

“On this question, I know that Putin wanted very much to change the president in Ukraine,” he continued. “I understand it. And if President Trump really wants to have some changes in –– during elections, I also shared it with his team. So please tell Putin: Give us two months, 60 days off. Total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections. Of course, we will be ready for any choice of our people, exactly Ukrainian people.”

Shortly after Karl’s interview with Zelensky aired, Trump announced that Ukraine and Russia agreed to an energy ceasefire amid Ukraine’s effort to destabilize Moscow’s energy grid while Russian forces attack Ukrainian infrastructure.

“Both parties have agreed,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Do not break it!”

Zelensky told Axios that the agreement was “news to me.” Trump had previously made a similar announcement in mid-September, though both sides continued their strikes.

During the interview, Zelensky called for an energy ceasefire — one that was fair though “not the best deal,” with the “best deal” being an end to the war.

“OK, if they want energy ceasefire, we are open for this,” he told Karl. “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children. We will stop attack your diesel. And I think it’s fair, fair deal.”

Tensions stirred between Trump and Zelensky after the U.S. president announced a new deal permitting Russia to supply 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and the global marketplace. Zelensky called it a “birthday gift” to Putin to “kill us, kill our children.”