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.
“It’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before heading to a rally in Tennessee.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of making global fuel problems worse by continuing to authorize strikes on Russian refineries.
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“He’d better d— well stop,” Trump said.
The president argued that Ukraine should avoid targeting Russian refineries because of the potential impact on global energy supplies.
“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.
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.
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“He could have made many deals and for some reason, he never does,” Trump said.
The remarks came after Zelenskyy criticized a new American agreement with Russia that would temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
Trump confirmed Friday that Washington had reached an agreement with Moscow to suspend restrictions on Russian diesel exports until April 7.
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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.
But Zelenskyy warned that the deal could give Russia additional money to buy weapons and continue its war against Ukraine.
The dispute comes as Russia and Ukraine have stepped up strikes on energy facilities, transportation systems and other key infrastructure.
Trump has been seeking ways to lower fuel prices as the U.S. faces rising energy costs tied to the conflict with Iran.
Trump’s warning puts fresh pressure on Zelenskyy to negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
