US President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky as tensions between Washington and Kyiv deepen over a new agreement with Russia to supply diesel fuel to international markets.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Saturday, October 10, Trump accused Zelensky of failing to reach a peace agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also blamed Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries for contributing to pressure on diesel supplies and prices.
“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.
The remarks followed Trump’s announcement on Friday that he had reached an agreement with Putin to release Russian diesel supplies to the US and international markets. The move is intended to help ease fuel costs ahead of the US midterm elections, but it has drawn criticism from Ukraine, which argues that allowing Russia to resume energy sales could provide Moscow with additional revenue to continue its war.
Zelensky condemned the agreement, arguing that easing restrictions on Russian petroleum exports would undermine efforts to end the conflict.
“Investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged,” he said, describing the decision as “a weak decision of strong partners.”
The dispute comes as Trump has repeatedly urged Kyiv to stop attacking Russian energy infrastructure. According to US officials cited in reports on the agreement, Ukraine’s continued strikes on refineries contributed to Washington’s decision to negotiate directly with Moscow over diesel supplies. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck five Russian refineries in the week before the announcement.
Trump argued that Zelensky’s actions were worsening the fuel supply situation and putting pressure on American farmers and ranchers. He also claimed that the Ukrainian president had repeatedly passed up opportunities to settle the war.
“Zelensky could’ve settled this war many times … and he chooses not to,” Trump said, adding that the Ukrainian leader “wants to make problems for the world.”
Under the terms Trump announced on social media, Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November. The combined 800,000 tonnes would amount to approximately six million barrels, according to the figures cited in the original report.
That volume represents roughly a day and a half of total US diesel consumption, based on the report’s comparison with US Energy Information Administration data. Trump also indicated that further shipments could follow, depending on the operating condition of Russian refineries.
The agreement has raised questions about whether the additional supplies will be large enough to make a meaningful difference to fuel prices. Russian refining capacity has been under pressure from Ukrainian attacks, while analysts have questioned how much the deal would change the balance of global diesel supply.
Dan Pickering, founder and chief investment officer of Pickering Energy Partners, estimated that the agreement could increase supply by around 5% to 6% between the announcement and the end of the year. He cautioned, however, that the additional volume was unlikely to transform the market.
“Bottom line, this is helpful but not a needle mover for global diesel markets,” Pickering said, arguing that the announcement also carried political significance.
Russia had previously restricted diesel exports amid domestic fuel shortages following Ukrainian drone attacks. The original report said the restrictions removed approximately 800,000 barrels per day from global markets, adding to concerns about the availability of refined fuel.
Following the talks between Trump and Putin, the Kremlin confirmed that the Russian president was willing to resume diesel shipments to international markets. Putin said he expected the move to benefit the wider global economy, according to the Kremlin’s official account of the discussions.
The agreement has put energy policy at the centre of a growing dispute between Washington and Kyiv. For Trump, increasing available fuel supplies is tied to domestic concerns about prices. For Zelensky, allowing Russian petroleum exports to resume risks providing Moscow with further income while the war continues.
The two leaders’ conflicting positions have exposed a deeper disagreement over how economic pressure on Russia should be used and whether easing energy restrictions can help advance negotiations or weaken efforts to bring the conflict to an end.
