President Trump ripped into Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday telling reporters outside the White House that it’s time for Ukraine to “get a new president.”
The fiery comments came just hours after his administration announced a deal to have Russia supply 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the US and global energy markets.
The president described the arrangement as a direct response to Zelensky’s continued targeting of Russian oil refineries – even after Trump asked him to stop the attacks.
“I said to him: ‘do what you want, don’t hit refineries,’” Trump told reporters as he left the White House Saturday afternoon en route to a rally in Tennessee.
He hammered Zelensky for failing to bring about an end to the Ukraine war, which began with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin launching a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
“You’ve lost 30% of your country and you’ve had over a million people killed. … I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump fumed.
“Zelensky could have settled this war many times – many many times. And he chooses not to. Very difficult. It’s a war that should have never been started,” he continued.
Trump said he told Zelensky “ don’t hit the refineries.”“That’s a world problem that’s causing. And he wants to make problems for the world.”
Average US diesel prices have topped $6 per gallon, hitting US farmers and consumers with higher costs.
Trump was headed to Tennessee, his latest trip to a red-leaning state in the run-up to the midterms, where Republicans are facing tight races in several agricultural states, including Iowa and Kansas that party operatives attribute in part to high fuel costs.
Some Republicans have criticized the diesel move, which gets around economic pressure meant to persuade Putin to stop his war.
“Unfortunately, while I understand the desire to bring down diesel prices, I am concerned the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil will only fund the Kremlin’s war machine—emboldening more violence and destruction, as we have seen in recent days,” posted Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) on X Friday.
