Trump Demands Zelenskyy Replacement After Russian Diesel Deal — SkimNews
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- Trump said Ukraine should replace Zelenskyy with a leader who "can make a deal," blaming him for strikes on Russian oil refineries he said have driven up US diesel prices ahead of the midterms.
- Trump announced a deal with Putin to import 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel immediately, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November, one million tonnes "immediately thereafter," and three million more "within a short period of time."
- Zelenskyy condemned the deal after Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in Zaporizhzhia, writing that Moscow "expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings."
- Ukraine's foreign minister Andriy Sybiga defended Zelenskyy on X, saying he "has the support of the Ukrainian people" and "deserves support," and that "statements from abroad only confirm that he is doing his job well."
- The reversal drew dismay from Ukraine's European allies, who said they stood by their commitment to existing sanctions against Russia.
- The diesel deal directly contradicts a sweeping Russia sanctions law Trump signed last month, which was aimed at cutting Moscow's oil and gas revenues that fuel the war.
- Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian officials in Miami on Friday to discuss a proposal to end the war, hours before the diesel deal was announced.
Why it matters: Trump is publicly calling for the ouster of a democratically elected leader while reversing years of US energy sanctions on the country waging war on that same ally. Zelenskyy warned that every extra billion dollars Russia earns from exports will fund weapons and mercenary recruitment — meaning US diesel purchases directly subsidize attacks that killed at least 60 people over four days.
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