WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump made controversial remarks on Saturday, suggesting that Ukraine should consider electing a new president, as he implied that current leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not doing enough to resolve the ongoing war with Russia. Trump also pointed fingers at Zelenskyy, claiming his leadership has contributed to rising diesel prices in the United States.
During a statement, Trump said, “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does.” This statement comes after Trump recently struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to purchase diesel fuel from Russia, a move aimed at alleviating high fuel prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. He has been critical of Zelenskyy, urging him for weeks to cease attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, while deflecting the blame for record diesel prices onto Ukraine rather than addressing the broader geopolitical issues, including the U.S.-led conflict in Iran.
"He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel,” Trump said prior to departing for a rally in Tennessee aimed at galvanizing Republican voters. Ukrainian and European officials reacted negatively to Trump’s diesel deal, emphasizing that it would aid in financing Russian military efforts amid a backdrop of soaring diesel prices, which they attribute to a complex set of crises affecting oil supplies since the beginning of the Iran conflict.
In a recent poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, published on October 1, many Americans expressed disapproval of Trump’s handling of the ongoing tensions with Iran and placed blame on him for the rising prices of fuel.
Additionally, Trump suggested that if he had been in office during the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, the conflict would have been avoided, branding the initiation of hostilities as an outcome of “incompetence.” He claimed, “Zelenskyy has lost 30% of your country and you’ve had over a million people go between the two of them, over 2 million people killed. That’s a war that should have never started.” While independent estimates indicate that around 20% of Ukraine's territory is currently under Russian control, reports from British defense officials estimate that half a million Russian soldiers may have died in the ongoing war, with no solid recent estimates available on Ukrainian casualties.
On the same day that Trump made his remarks, Russian bombings in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people, including three children. Ukrainian officials reported that at least 18 others were wounded in the attacks targeting residential areas. The conflict continues to manifest in long-range aerial warfare, as both Ukraine and Russia solidify their positions on the front lines more than four and a half years following Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed his outrage regarding Trump's deal with Russia, stating that each additional billion dollars generated from exports would support Russian military capabilities, including weapons enhancements and recruitment efforts. He reaffirmed that Ukraine is taking steps to counterbalance the financial influx Russia stands to gain and emphasized ongoing coordination with European allies, including discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron about bolstering air defense systems in light of anticipated missile strikes.
Trump's announcement included an agreement for Russia to supply over 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, with further shipments anticipated in the coming months. This announcement has created significant tension, particularly as Trump made it while his representatives, including Jared Kushner, were in Miami discussing potential resolutions to the war with Ukrainian officials. A senior Ukrainian source disclosed that they were unaware of the diesel agreement prior to its announcement.
In Kyiv, the public’s response to Trump’s diesel agreement ranged from anger to resignation, with many feeling that Trump's priorities lie more with U.S. fuel prices than the plight faced by Ukrainians during the ongoing conflict. For instance, Oleksandr Petrenko, a 26-year-old resident, expressed his disdain for Trump’s position, emphasizing a lack of concern for the destruction in Ukraine.
European leaders also voiced their concerns regarding the implications of Trump's deal. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lamented that such energy revenues are crucial to Russia’s war efforts, while the German government pledged to uphold and enhance sanctions against Russia.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski raised skepticism about Russia's capacity to fulfill its diesel promises, highlighting fuel shortages reported within Russia itself, thus casting doubt on the viability of Trump's agreement.
Trump's recent announcement starkly contrasts previous sanctions legislation he endorsed against Russia aimed at curtailing its oil and gas revenues and mitigating its war capabilities. Such dissonance has sparked further discussion among European allies regarding their commitment to sanctions and support for Ukraine as the conflict continues.
