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Trump Calls for Ukraine to Replace Zelenskyy Over Diesel Deal
Confirmed
In Short: U.S. President Donald Trump said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over a deal to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
U.S. President Donald Trump called for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, citing the latter's failure to end the war and his attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Trump announced a deal Friday to suspend restrictions on Russian diesel exports, allowing Russia to release millions of tons of diesel into the U.S. and global markets.
Zelenskyy criticized the deal, warning it would help fund Russia's war efforts. Trump, however, argued that easing pressure on Russia would not stop its aggression.
The agreement would see Russia supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons thereafter.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed regret over the deal, noting that energy revenues are central to Russia's war chest.
Trump said Zelenskyy had lost 30% of Ukraine and over 2 million people had died, adding that it was time for Ukraine to get a new president.
Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, a day after Trump announced the diesel deal.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of making global fuel problems worse by continuing to authorize strikes on Russian refineries.
Zelenskyy wrote that every additional billion dollars Russia earns from exports would be spent on weapons and mercenaries.
Trump said Zelenskyy had missed multiple opportunities to end the conflict, suggesting a new leader could make peace.
Ukrainian officials expressed anger over the deal, warning it could help fund Moscow's war efforts.
Oleksandr Petrenko, 26, said, 'Trump has once again shown his true face.'
What this adds
The facts show conflicting views on the impact of the diesel deal, with Trump seeing it as a way to ease global fuel shortages, while Zelenskyy and Ukrainian officials fear it will prolong the war.
What's confirmed
- President Donald Trump said Saturday that it was “time for Ukraine to get a new president,” warning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop attacking Russian oil refineries as the two leaders clashed over a U.S. deal with Moscow.
- Trump also criticized Zelenskyy for failing to reach an agreement to end the war, which began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- The agreement would allow Russia to release millions of tons of diesel into the U.S. and global markets, potentially increasing fuel supplies at a time when Americans are paying more at the pump.
- Trump confirmed Friday that Washington had reached an agreement with Moscow to suspend restrictions on Russian diesel exports until April 7.
- The remarks came after Zelenskyy criticized a new American agreement with Russia that would temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
- Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian officials said Saturday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal to buy Russian diesel that Kyiv warned would help bankroll Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
- "lost 30% of your country and you've had over a million people go between the two of them, over 2 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."
- He said the attacks show Moscow understands "any easing of pressure to mean they can keep fighting, to mean they can keep dropping bombs on cities," adding that "different signals are needed."
- Speaking at the White House, Trump said, "I suggest they get a new leader who can make a [peace] deal," adding that "for some reason [Zelenskyy] never does."
- "Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia."
- "We said, 'you can do whatever you want to Russia, don't hit the refineries', because that's a world problem that's caused," Trump said.
- "It's time for Ukraine to get a new president," Trump told reporters outside the White House before heading to a rally in Tennessee.
What's still developing
- Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm regretted the agreement, “as energy revenues are central to the Russian war chest,” and noted that the European Union would adopt its most comprehensive sanctions package yet on Monday, with 1,600 listings targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex.
- "President Trump joins the many who believe that Ukaine needs leadership actually focused on peace, not Zelenskyy's warmongering."
- “Every additional billion dollars they can earn from exports will be spent on nothing but sourcing and importing critical components and equipment to manufacture weapons, upgrading ‘Shaheds,’ producing missiles, and recruiting even more mercenaries to fight at the front,” Zelenskyy wrote.
- "He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel," Trump said, before departing for Tennessee, where he was set to rally Republican voters.