Trump Urges Ukraine to Find New Leader After Reportedly Striking Oil Deal with Putin

Former President Donald Trump has reportedly called for Ukraine to select a new leader, asserting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is failing to secure favorable deals and is exacerbating the ongoing conflict. Trump made these remarks following reports of his agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift sanctions on Russian oil, a move he stated was intended to address rising fuel costs in the United States.

"I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal," Trump told reporters outside the White House on Saturday, adding, "He could have made many deals, and for some reason, he never does."

Trump's comments came shortly after Ukrainian forces targeted a key oil hub hours after the reported agreement between Trump and Putin to import nearly two million tons of Russian oil into the U.S. According to Axios, Trump accused Zelensky of ignoring six requests to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, which Trump stated were driving up prices, particularly for diesel, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

A U.S. official told Axios that Zelensky was "misreading the room" and that continued strikes on refineries were eroding goodwill with Trump.

In response to the U.S. decision to suspend sanctions, Zelensky stated that Russia was using terror tactics because it was weaker on the front lines and that any weakening of sanctions without a clear de-escalation agreement signaled weakness. He also noted that Putin relies on such backroom deals to gain concessions and buy time for the war.

In the immediate aftermath of the reported Trump-Putin call, Russia launched a new strike on Zaporizhzhia, killing seven civilians, including three children, and wounding ten others, with 16 reported missing. This incident brought the total civilian casualties in three days to nearly 90.

Ukraine's successful targeting of Russia's oil industry has created a crisis for Putin, though Russia reportedly still has surplus diesel available. Following the Trump-Putin discussion, Ukraine conducted strikes on the Yug Rusi oil-loading terminal in Rostov-on-Don, which handles products from the Novoshakhtinsk refinery. Fires were reported at the terminal, and a linked railway bridge was damaged, halting traffic. Two ships in the Sea of Azov were also reportedly attacked.

Yury Ushakov, an aide to Putin, described the one-and-a-half-hour call between Trump and Putin as friendly, with neither side wanting to end the conversation. Trump indicated he was open to continuing communication with Putin.

Trump also stated that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began "due to incompetence" on Zelensky's part, adding, "That's a war that should have never started. And I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president."