Trump pressures Ukraine to swap leaders and tells Kyiv to spare Russian refineries
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President Donald Trump said Ukraine needs a new leader who will accept peace on Moscow’s terms and warned Kyiv not to strike Russian oil refineries after a U.S.-Russia diesel sanctions deal drew backlash from Ukrainian officials.
President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday that Ukraine should replace its president with someone willing to strike a peace deal with Russia, claiming Zelenskyy "never does" and insisting the war "should have never started." He said the conflict has brought devastating loss of life and territory, and argued that changing leadership could bring the fighting to an end.
Trump also warned Kyiv against attacking Russian oil refineries, saying he had told Zelenskyy to "do what you want" against Russia but "don't hit refineries," and urging the Ukrainian leader to stop those strikes. The comments reflected a blunt push to restrain Ukraine even as Russian attacks continue.
The remarks came after the United States reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports, a move that has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials. Zelenskyy responded on social media, linking the sanctions relief to recent Russian attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region. Kremlin spokesperson Kirill Dimitriev posted on X that the president’s comments align with those who believe Ukraine needs leadership focused on peace rather than "warmongering." Independent analysts estimate that Russian forces control about 20% of Ukrainian territory, while casualty figures remain uncertain.