WASHINGTON/KYIV | October 11, 2026 | US President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blaming Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for high US diesel prices, while Zelenskyy has offered to halt those strikes if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
The dispute intensified after Trump announced a diesel supply agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, prompting criticism from Kyiv and European officials who warned that renewed Russian fuel revenues could help finance Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
“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,” Trump told reporters on Saturday, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Trump has pressed Zelenskyy to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy facilities, arguing that they have contributed to higher fuel costs for American farmers, ranchers and truckers. Zelenskyy, however, said Sunday that Ukraine was prepared to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Russia ceased its strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
“Ukraine will be ready to stop striking Russian oil refineries if Russia stops striking our energy infrastructure,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, according to AP. He added that any de-escalation must be mutual and supported by firm guarantees.
Reuters reported that the US-Russia agreement announced Friday would allow more than 300,000 metric tons of Russian diesel to enter global markets immediately, with additional shipments promised in subsequent months. The US Treasury Department issued a license temporarily permitting Russian diesel imports through April 7.
The agreement reverses part of Washington’s sanctions policy toward Moscow, which was designed to restrict Russian energy revenues following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian and European officials criticized the move, warning that the additional income could support Russia’s military campaign. Some analysts also questioned whether the promised volumes would be sufficient to bring US diesel prices down significantly.
The diplomatic dispute unfolded alongside renewed fighting. Ukrainian authorities said Russian strikes on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia killed 23 people, including four children, on Saturday. More than 30 others were wounded, according to AP. Rescue operations concluded on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continued its drone campaign against Russian infrastructure. A strike on Sunday disabled a data center operated by Russian technology company Yandex in the city of Vladimir, east of Moscow, disrupting several services, according to AP and the company. It was the third reported attack on Yandex facilities in four days.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha rejected Trump’s call for a change in leadership, saying Ukrainians had the right to decide who governed their country. Zelenskyy has remained in office under martial law, which prevents elections during wartime under Ukraine’s current legal framework.
Ukraine’s European partners also expressed concern over the diesel agreement. Reuters reported that some US lawmakers, including Republican Representative Don Bacon, criticized the easing of sanctions and argued that additional pressure on Moscow was needed rather than renewed energy trade.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, after eight years of conflict following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and fighting in eastern Ukraine. The war has since involved repeated attacks on energy infrastructure, with both sides using long-range drones to damage facilities supporting military operations and the wider economy.
The latest exchange highlights the growing tension between Washington’s effort to reduce domestic fuel costs and Kyiv’s insistence that Russia must face pressure to end the war. Zelenskyy’s proposal leaves the possibility of a reciprocal halt to energy infrastructure attacks open, but no agreement between Moscow and Kyiv had been announced as of Sunday.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
