President Donald Trump stunned observers on Saturday by declaring that Ukraine needs a change in leadership. As such, he directed more pressure at Kyiv as his administration pushes a controversial diesel arrangement with Moscow that critics warn rewards Vladimir Putin.
Donald Trump calls out Ukraine’s president over constant fighting with Russia
Donald Trump told reporters that Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy bears responsibility for failing to end the war, and he singled out Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure as a provocation. “I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump said. “Zelenskyy could have settled this war many times. Many, many times. And he chooses not to.”
The comments are an escalation in Trump‘s posture toward Kyiv. His administration has simultaneously pursued a deal to import Russian diesel, a move the U.S. president frames as a way to bring down fuel costs ahead of the midterm elections. Trump has repeatedly blamed Zelenskyy for diesel prices hovering near $7 per gallon. Energy experts instead trace the surge to Trump’s own war with Iran, which disrupted global oil markets.
Moreover, the pressure campaign extends past rhetoric. Zelenskyy told NPR that U.S. officials warned his military commanders that intelligence sharing would end unless Ukraine halted attacks on Russian refineries.
This week, the Starlink-based navigation system Ukraine relies on to intercept Russian drones went dark. Elon Musk, whose SpaceX operates the satellites, placed responsibility on the administration. “Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government,” he wrote. “Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”
However, Republican lawmakers have broken with Trump over the Russia oil deal. Industry analysts dismiss the arrangement’s economic value. Critics note the parallel to 2019, when Trump pressured Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden and a whistleblower complaint triggered his first impeachment.
