Trump Urges Ukraine to Choose New Leader Amid War Criticism

On October 11, 2026, United States President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine should elect a new leader, criticizing President Volodymyr Zelensky for rejecting peace negotiations with Russia. Trump made these remarks at the White House, specifically condemning Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries, which he argued could threaten global diesel supplies and raise fuel costs for American farmers and ranchers.

He claimed Zelensky had missed multiple opportunities to negotiate an end to the conflict and suggested that the war would not have started if he had been president during Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Trump also disclosed that he had advised Zelensky against targeting Russian refineries, emphasizing their significance to international energy markets.

In response, Zelensky criticized a recent diesel supply agreement between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating it emboldened Russia to continue its attacks on Ukraine, including a recent strike in Zaporizhzhia that killed 20 people.