US President Donald Trump has openly called for a change of leadership in Kyiv, saying Ukraine needs a president capable of reaching agreements. His comments came a day after he announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the supply of diesel, a deal that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had sharply criticised.
Remarks at Joint Base Andrews
Trump spoke to reporters at Joint Base Andrews as he departed for Tennessee.
Trump on Ukraine: I suggest Ukraine gets a new leader who can make a deal. For some reason, Zelensky never does deals. https://t.co/QThRTontYd
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 10, 2026
“I suggest that Ukraine gets a new leader who can make deals. For some reason, Zelensky never makes deals,” the US president said.
“I think it is time for Ukraine to have a new president,” he added, before stressing that he was proposing it.
Trump also said that Zelensky could have settled the war “many times”.
BREAKING: Trump on Ukraine: I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president. https://t.co/uHlLLw56aL
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 10, 2026
“Zelensky could have settled the war many times. He chooses not to,” he said.
“There was no reason for the war between Ukraine and Russia to start. It started because of incompetence,” Trump added.
Trump on Ukraine War: Zelensky could have settled this war many, many times. He chooses not to. https://t.co/XvYe109x1t
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 10, 2026
Warning over strikes on oil
Trump said Washington had warned the Ukrainian president against targeting oil.
“We told Zelensky: ‘Do whatever you want, but don’t hit the oil.’ And what does he do? He goes and hits the oil. He can do whatever he wants, but he can’t do that,” he said.
Trump on Ukraine War: We told Zelensky, "Do whatever you want, but don't hit the diesel fuel." And what does he do? He goes and hits the diesel fuel. He can do whatever he wants, but he can't do that. https://t.co/xReQuedG5W
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 10, 2026
Zelensky’s criticism of the diesel agreement
The remarks followed strong criticism from Zelensky the previous day over the agreement with Putin.
The Ukrainian president described the deal as a gift to the Russian president, amounting to “an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged”. Ukraine’s European allies immediately backed his position.
Peace never comes through weakness. Today, representatives of the U.S. Congress were in Kyiv – a bipartisan delegation – and I am grateful to them for visiting Ukraine at such a difficult time. They asked: what is needed to end the war? The answer must be strong. There must be sanctions under the Lindsey Graham bill, there must be support for Ukraine in protecting lives, and there must be pressure on Russia for its war. And today, there was a conversation between the leaders of America and Russia. A conversation that leads to something different. Recently, there was a European decision to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs. Since then, Russian strikes and the torment of people have only increased. This past week alone, there was a brutal Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, aerial bombs were dropped on Kramatorsk – on ordinary city buses – and there have been constant attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure and on the life-sustaining infrastructure in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and our other cities. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds wounded. The Russians are compensating for their inability to achieve their objectives on the battlefield with this kind of terror. This year, Russia is weaker on the battlefield than at any other point in the war. That is why Putin is relying on terror. That is why he is relying on attempts to strike backroom deals to secure some form of pressure relief for Russia, in order to buy more time and more opportunities for war. Any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement with Russia is an obvious weakness. It plays into Russia’s hands – allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world. Ukraine is ready to take symmetrical de-escalatory steps, and the American team knows our position. Our strikes on Russian oil refineries and other oil facilities are a response to Russia’s years-long campaign of terror against Ukraine’s energy sector. Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure. This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise. Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will “repay” the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis. We count on America’s fair support for our defense of life, for our defense of people in Ukraine – and on the United States having a correspondingly strong conversation with Russia. A strong one, not a weak one.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2026
In a post on X, Zelensky wrote: “We are counting on America’s fair support in defending our lives, in defending the people of Ukraine, and on the United States having an equally tough conversation with Russia. A tough conversation, not a weak one.”
Fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections
According to the BBC, Friday’s announcement is Trump’s latest attempt to bring down US fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections, after months of facing the political consequences of the war with Iran.
The war, which broke out in February, has driven up the price of petrol and, in particular, diesel. The BBC reported that this has damaged Trump’s standing with the American public, which has been hit by higher prices at the pump and the resulting rise in general inflation.
The average price of diesel in the United States currently stands at $6.28 per gallon, according to AAA, down from a record high of $6.53 recorded in late September.
Temporary licence and doubts over impact
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, the US Treasury Department formally issued a temporary licence allowing Russian diesel to enter the market.
Analysts have questioned whether Russia is able to deliver the diesel and to what extent the move would lower prices for American consumers, the BBC reported.
Tim Armitage, investment strategist at Quilter Cheviot, said the figures Trump cited were “relatively small”.
He noted that the first tranche amounted to approximately 2.25 million barrels, while daily consumption in the United States stands at around 3.8 million barrels, “so it will not have a meaningful impact on prices at US petrol stations”.
“Of course, two more releases will follow, but it appears to be a somewhat desperate move by President Trump in his effort to bring down inflation before the midterm elections,” he said.
The BBC asked the White House what Russia would receive from the United States in return for the commitment.
This is a developing story.
With information from in.gr and the BBC
