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President Donald Trump said Ukraine should choose a new president who can make a deal, criticizing Volodymyr Zelensky over attacks on Russian fuel infrastructure. His remarks came a day after Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone and the U.S. Treasury issued a temporary license permitting Russian diesel sales to global markets through April 7, 2027. Ukraine has criticized the fuel arrangement; the report does not indicate that Kyiv has responded to Trump’s call for a new leader.
President Donald Trump said on October 10 that Ukraine should find a new president able to make a deal, openly calling for Volodymyr Zelensky to be replaced. Trump paired the demand with criticism of Ukrainian attacks on Russian fuel facilities, a day after he and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone and Washington authorized a temporary route for Russian diesel sales to global markets.
Speaking to reporters, Trump argued that Zelensky had passed up opportunities to reach agreements. “I suggest they get a new leader who could make a deal,” he said, adding that “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new President.” The remarks were reported by Meduza. Trump did not describe a process for selecting a successor or specify what agreement he believes Kyiv should make.
Trump also criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian fuel infrastructure. He said the United States had told Zelensky he could act against Russia but had warned him not to hit oil refineries because it was “a world problem.” Trump then referred to a strike on diesel fuel and said Zelensky “better damn well stop.” The report does not independently establish the circumstances or target of the strike Trump was referring to.
The comments followed a phone call between Trump and Putin on October 9. Meduza reported that the U.S. Treasury Department subsequently issued a temporary license allowing Russian diesel fuel to reach global markets despite U.S. sanctions; the authorization is set to last until April 7, 2027. Ukraine criticized the arrangement. Zelensky said Russia’s decision to permit sales of oil products “is an investment in the war.”
Pressure Over Ukraine’s Leadership and Fuel
Trump’s remarks amount to an unusually direct intervention in debate over who should lead Ukraine, while also connecting that demand to Kyiv’s military decisions and negotiations. They signal a widening dispute between Washington and Kyiv over how Ukraine should respond to Russia and what terms might be acceptable in a deal.
The diesel license adds a concrete policy dimension to that disagreement. Ukraine’s objection, as reported by Meduza, is that Russian oil-product revenue supports Moscow’s war effort; the U.S. authorization permits sales through a specified date despite sanctions. The move and Trump’s criticism could shape how allies assess U.S. support and the balance between economic pressure on Russia and the administration’s approach to energy markets.
Trump’s call is not itself a change in Ukraine’s government. The report offers no indication that Zelensky has resigned, that an election has been scheduled, or that Washington has set out a formal demand or mechanism for replacing him. The distinction matters: a public statement from the U.S. president carries political weight, but it does not establish that a leadership change is under way.
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Phone Call, License and Kyiv’s Objection
The immediate sequence began with a phone conversation between Trump and Putin on October 9. Meduza reported that the Treasury Department soon issued a temporary license for Russian diesel sales on global markets, with an end date of April 7, 2027. The report describes the license as allowing sales in circumvention of U.S. sanctions; it does not provide further details about its terms or scope.
Ukraine objected to the deal. Zelensky characterized Russia’s permission to sell oil products as “an investment in the war,” framing potential revenue as support for Moscow’s military campaign. Trump’s October 10 comments brought that disagreement together with his complaints about Ukrainian strikes and his demand for a different Ukrainian leader.
The source report records Trump’s statements and the license, but does not give additional details about the phone call’s agenda or the negotiations Trump says Zelensky has failed to pursue. No response from Zelensky to the specific demand for a new president is included in the material.
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No Change in Kyiv Confirmed
The available report confirms Trump’s remarks and the Treasury license, but does not establish that Ukraine intends to replace Zelensky or that any leadership process has begun. It also does not include a response from Zelensky or the Ukrainian government to Trump’s demand.
Further details remain unclear, including the license’s precise conditions, the full scope of the U.S.-Russia discussion, and what specific agreement Trump believes Ukraine should accept. The report also does not identify the particular incident behind Trump’s reference to a strike on diesel fuel, beyond his description of it.
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Responses and License Terms to Watch
The next developments to watch are any response from Zelensky or Ukrainian officials, and whether the U.S. administration provides more detail about the license and its application. The authorization is reported to remain in force until April 7, 2027, unless its terms are changed or it is otherwise ended; the source does not report any such change.
It is also unclear whether Trump’s call for a new Ukrainian president will be followed by formal U.S. policy steps or remain a public demand. Until Kyiv or Washington clarifies its position, the reported development is a statement of pressure, not confirmation of a change in Ukraine’s leadership or a new negotiating agreement.
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Key Questions
What did Trump say about Zelensky?
Trump said Ukraine should find a new president who could make a deal, and said he believed it was time for Ukraine to have a new leader.
Why did Trump criticize Zelensky?
Trump criticized what he described as Ukrainian strikes on Russian fuel infrastructure, saying he had warned Zelensky not to hit oil refineries. The report does not independently detail the strike he referenced.
What did the U.S. authorize for Russian diesel?
Meduza reported that the Treasury Department issued a temporary license allowing Russian diesel fuel to reach global markets despite U.S. sanctions. The license is reported to run through April 7, 2027.
Has Ukraine agreed to replace Zelensky?
The report does not say that Ukraine has agreed to replace Zelensky, that he has resigned, or that a leadership change is under way. It also does not include a response from Zelensky to Trump’s demand.
Source: rss
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