Zelensky says Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia killed 12
President Donald Trump said Saturday that “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president” after Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the U.S. deal easing sanctions on the purchase of diesel fuel from Russia.
“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 said. The president said Zelensky has not done enough to achieve peace in the more than four years since Russia invaded its territory, and added that Zelensky “wants to make problems for the world” and “he’d better damn well stop.”
A day earlier, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin would supply diesel to ease global markets and that the Treasury Department would allow the exports despite existing U.S. sanctions. Trump signed new sanctions legislation targeting Russia’s energy sector last month, including measures against Russian banks, officials and oil tankers used to circumvent international restrictions.
Zelensky said “gifts to Putin will not bring peace” and doubled down on his criticism Saturday. “Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” he wrote in a statement on X. “As of now, sadly, twelve people have been confirmed killed, including three children.”
The Ukrainian president said 13 of the country’s regions came under attack, damaging residential buildings, infrastructure and railway facilities.
“Last night confirmed once again that in Russia, they take any easing of pressure to mean they can keep fighting, to mean they can keep dropping bombs on cities,” Zelensky added. “Different signals are needed. Russia must understand that it needs to stop the war, and for that to happen, Russia must feel its losses.”
The agreement announced Friday comes as diesel prices have surged amid the ongoing war in Iran, which has disrupted global oil supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Diesel prices have climbed nearly 70 percent since the start of the Iran war in February. The national average price for diesel was about $6.28 per gallon Saturday, according to AAA.