President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not reaching a peace deal with Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking at the White House on Saturday, Trump stated, "I suggest they get a new leader who can make a [peace] deal," and expressed concern over Zelenskyy's leadership, claiming that Ukraine has lost significant territory and suffered heavy casualties.
Independent estimates indicate that approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory is under Russian control. British defense officials have reported that around half a million Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict, but there are no reliable recent estimates of Ukrainian casualties.
Trump also warned Ukraine against targeting Russian oil refineries, stating that he had previously advised Zelenskyy to refrain from such actions. His comments come in the context of rising fuel prices in the US, which Trump has attempted to attribute to Ukraine's actions.
On Friday, Trump accused Zelenskyy of creating problems for US farmers and ranchers due to the conflict. His remarks followed an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift US sanctions on Russian diesel exports. Trump's call for Zelenskyy's replacement has been positively received in Moscow, with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dimitriev commenting that Ukraine needs leadership focused on peace rather than conflict.
Zelenskyy responded to the situation on social media, highlighting the impact of the US-Russia diesel agreement, which coincided with Russian attacks that killed 20 people in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region.
The situation remains tense as Ukraine and its allies respond to the developments surrounding the US-Russia agreement and the ongoing conflict.