A new, fierce attack by Donald Trump against Volodymyr Zelensky, with the American president calling on Ukrainians on Saturday, October 10, 2026, to choose new leadership, accusing the current president of squandering repeated opportunities to end the war.
It is no coincidence that these remarks arrive following the Washington, Moscow deal on Russian diesel, which sparked intense backlash in Kyiv.
Trump openly challenges Zelensky: Time has come for Ukraine to change presidents
Fresh tension in US-Ukrainian relations has been triggered by statements from Donald Trump, who argued that Ukraine must acquire a new president.
According to the Associated Press, the American president accused Volodymyr Zelensky of having repeated opportunities to end the conflict with Russia, but failing to capitalize on them.
«I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because Zelensky could have made many deals and, for some reason, he never does.
Zelensky could have ended this war many times, too many times, but chooses not to», the American president stated, urging him to halt strikes against Russian refineries.
«I think the time has come for Ukraine to get a new president», Trump emphasized.
This posture intensifies political pressure on Kyiv at a time when negotiations remain stalled due to deep territorial and strategic differences.
Trump on Zelensky: “He could’ve settled it many times. We said you can do WHATEVER YOU WANT TO RUSSIA just don’t hit the refineries. He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers and ranchers.” Don’t forget that the United States has supplied Ukraine with weapons and intelligence, including targeting information for strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. In 2025 Washington agreed to provide intelligence on Russian refineries, pipelines and other energy targets. Who is making problems, Trump?
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) October 10, 2026
The Trump-Putin understanding and Russian diesel
The remarks take on particular significance following the Trump, Putin telephone conversation on October 9.
During the exchange, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, both the Ukrainian issue and the energy crisis were addressed.
The Kremlin announced that a substantial portion of the call was devoted to the prospects of a political settlement of the war.
In parallel, Trump announced an agreement for the immediate release of at least 300,000 tons of Russian diesel, with additional deliveries of millions of tons scheduled in the coming months.
Kyiv reacts - New realities in negotiations
Zelensky criticized the loosening of American restrictions on Russian energy exports, contending that additional revenues could bolster the Russian war effort.
Washington, conversely, cites the necessity of reducing energy costs and accelerating peace efforts.
Trump's public disavowal of Zelensky, combined with the energy deal with Putin, reflects a major shift in American priorities.
The question now is whether this fresh approach will facilitate the conclusion of the war or widen the rift between Washington and Kyiv even further.
Dmitriev (Putin's envoy): Diesel diplomacy exposed Zelensky
A new verbal assault against Volodymyr Zelensky was unleashed by Kirill Dmitriev, who asserted that the energy accord between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin laid bare the contradictions in Ukrainian policy.
The Russian president's special envoy for investments and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Kirill Dmitriev, commented sharply on the Washington, Moscow deal regarding Russian diesel exports.
In a post on X, Dmitriev maintained that Donald Trump recognizes that Zelensky seeks to create disruptions across the global economy.
«Diesel diplomacy exposed Zelensky», he noted pointedly, framing the agreement as a triumph of Russian energy diplomacy.
Miroshnik (Russian MFA): Trump shocked Ukrainian elites with the replacement of Zelensky
Particularly sharp was the special envoy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rodion Miroshnik, in commenting on Donald Trump's exhortation to Ukrainians to select a new leader.
In a post on Telegram, the Russian diplomat argued that the statement provoked deep turmoil within Kyiv's political establishment.
«To say that the elite in Kyiv, which traditionally treats leaders in Washington with great reverence, was shocked by what was said, would be an understatement», he noted.
Dmitruk (Ukrainian MP): Trump politically executed Zelensky like squashing a cockroach
Intense reactions have been triggered by the public intervention of Donald Trump, who called for Ukraine to get a new president while accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of failing to seize opportunities to end the war.
Ukrainian member of parliament Artem Dmitruk, who has fled the country, delivered an exceptionally scathing reaction to the remarks of the American president.
In a post on Telegram, Dmitruk used an analogy of exterminating cockroaches, attempting to illustrate the political pressure closing in on Zelensky.
Ukraine pays the price for the energy crisis
The Trump, Putin accord did not emerge in a political vacuum.
In preceding months, Ukraine carried out repeated drone strikes against Russian refineries, seeking to restrict Moscow's ability to finance and support its military operations.
The attacks caused disruptions across Russian energy production and the supply chain.
However, the ramifications were not confined to Russia.
The diminished availability of Russian petroleum products aggravated pressure on international fuel markets, which were already dealing with grave issues arising from conflicts in the Middle East.
The situation generated a politically undesirable outcome for Trump: Kyiv's strategy of inflicting economic pain on Russia simultaneously contributed to driving up costs for American consumers.
According to Axios, Trump had repeatedly requested that Volodymyr Zelensky halt strikes against Russian refineries.
The Ukrainian president appeared willing to discuss a mutual pause in strikes against energy installations, provided that Russia halted corresponding attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
The American side, however, pushed for a unilateral Ukrainian cessation of strikes.
This marks a decisive shift in the political balance.
For the first time in such a visible manner, Washington links American economic necessities with the suppression of a Ukrainian military tactic that imposes real costs on Moscow.
The threat triggering alarm in Kyiv: Ukraine without American intelligence
Even more serious is the disclosure by Axios that the Trump administration may deploy one of the strongest leverage tools at its disposal against Ukraine: cutting off classified intelligence sharing.
According to a Ukrainian official, during discussions in Miami, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff warned the Ukrainian delegation that continuing strikes against Russian refineries could result in a total cutoff of Kyiv from American intelligence.
An American official denied that such a threat was delivered, contending that the United States remains a reliable partner for Ukraine.
Were such a measure to be executed, the fallout could be extraordinarily severe.
American intelligence plays a vital role in monitoring Russian military movements, providing early warning for imminent attacks, and backing Ukrainian operations.
Its loss would severely undermine Kyiv's operational capabilities and heighten its dependence on the limited resources of European allies.
Most critical, however, is the political signal.
Trump demonstrates that American backing does not constitute a blank check for Zelensky.
If Ukrainian military decisions conflict with core American economic interests, the White House is prepared to exert relentless pressure.
Putin wins twice - Financial relief and political recognition
The deal on diesel generates two significant advantages for Russia.
The first is financial. The ability to export additional volumes of petroleum products broadens Moscow's commercial channels and can generate new revenues.
The second is political and potentially even more substantial.
Putin is cast as an interlocutor capable of offering pragmatic solutions to an urgent domestic problem facing the American president.
Washington effectively acknowledges that, despite sanctions and years of confrontation, Russia remains an indispensable player in global energy markets.
This represents a tangible triumph for Russian diplomacy, even if it does not signify an overarching normalization of relations.
Simultaneously, Trump gains the capacity to present American voters with a concrete measure aimed at curtailing energy costs ahead of the midterm elections on November 3.
The Kremlin consequently secures an additional bargaining chip, while the White House attempts to mitigate domestic political pressure.
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