Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Trump Urges Ukraine to Replace Zelenskyy, Stop Refinery Strikes
Donald Trump said Ukraine should have a new leader who can make a deal.
He also told Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries.
Trump said Russia would send diesel in several shipments.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy argued that Russia was still attacking Ukrainian cities and energy sites.
He said easing pressure on Russia could allow it to keep fighting.
Trump gave figures for territory and deaths that differ from estimates described in the report.
The report said Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine.
It also said there were no reliable recent estimates of how many Ukrainians had died.
Donald Trump called for Ukraine to choose a new leader, saying Zelenskyy had not made a deal to end the war.
Trump urged Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries, saying he had previously told Zelenskyy, “do what you want” but not to hit refineries.
Trump said Russia would supply diesel in several shipments, including more than 300,000 tons immediately and additional shipments later.
Zelenskyy said Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy facilities showed Moscow interpreted eased pressure as permission to keep fighting.
Trump claimed Ukraine had lost 30% of its territory and more than two million people had been killed; the report cited estimates that Russia controls about 20% of Ukraine and said reliable recent Ukrainian death figures were unavailable.
- Who
- U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- What
- Trump called for new Ukrainian leadership and urged Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries; Zelenskyy criticized the easing of pressure on Russia.
- When
- Saturday; Trump had announced the diesel arrangement on Friday.
- Where
- At the White House in Washington, D.C.; the statements concerned the war in Ukraine and Russia.
- Why
- Trump said Ukraine needed a leader able to make a deal and objected to refinery strikes; Zelenskyy said easing pressure could enable Russia to continue its attacks.
Trump’s position
Zelenskyy’s position
Ukraine’s leadership and a deal
Trump’s position
Trump said Ukraine should replace Zelenskyy with a leader who could make a deal, arguing Zelenskyy had not done so.
Zelenskyy’s position
Zelenskyy’s statements emphasized that Russia remained committed to fighting and that Ukraine needed support to counter its attacks.
Russian oil and pressure
Trump’s position
Trump objected to Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and announced a Russian diesel supply arrangement.
Zelenskyy’s position
Zelenskyy said easing pressure on Russia could give Moscow more resources to continue the war and called for limits on its ability to fight.
- Trump’s call
- He urged Ukraine to get a new leader who could make a deal.
- Refinery strikes
- Trump told Zelenskyy to stop Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries.
- Diesel supply
- Trump said Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons immediately, followed by further shipments.
- Territory estimate
- The report said independent estimates put about 20% of Ukraine under Russian control.
- Death estimates
- The report said British defence officials recently estimated about half a million Russian soldiers had been killed; it gave no reliable recent estimate for Ukrainian deaths.
- Zelenskyy’s response
- He said Russia viewed eased pressure as permission to continue attacks and urged partners to limit Russia’s ability to wage war.
