Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 11: US President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to elect a new president, criticising Volodymyr Zelenskyy over his handling of the war with Russia and accusing him of failing to take sufficient steps towards ending the conflict.
Trump’s remarks came amid growing differences between Washington and Kyiv over a recent US deal with Russia to secure diesel supplies as fuel prices surge ahead of the US midterm elections. Zelenskyy criticised the agreement, describing it as an “investment” in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of failing to reach an agreement with Moscow and continuing attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure despite repeated requests to halt the strikes.
“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,” Trump said, accusing the Ukrainian leader of creating problems for the world and contributing to difficulties faced by American farmers and ranchers through the impact on diesel supplies.
Trump also criticised the losses suffered by Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, arguing that the conflict should have been avoided and calling for new leadership in Kyiv.
The US president announced the diesel supply agreement with Russia on Friday, saying Moscow would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and one million tonnes thereafter.
The deal has drawn criticism from Ukraine, which views continued economic engagement with Moscow as support for its military campaign.
Ukraine’s Finance Minister Andriy Sybiga defended Zelenskyy, saying the Ukrainian president continued to enjoy public support and that the country's leadership should be determined by its citizens.
“He has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide,” Sybiga said in a post on X, adding that Zelenskyy deserved support.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also expressed solidarity with Zelenskyy during a telephone conversation. According to a statement from his office, Burnham said the previous 24 hours had been difficult for Ukraine and reiterated his complete solidarity with the Ukrainian leader.
Meanwhile, Russia welcomed Trump’s comments. Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin’s special envoy for economic cooperation, described the remarks as “iconic and historic” in a post on X, arguing that Ukraine needed leadership focused on peace rather than continued conflict.
The exchanges underline growing diplomatic tensions over the war, with the US-Russia diesel agreement adding to disagreements between Washington and Kyiv over the path towards ending the conflict.