Trump Urges Zelensky's Replacement After Russian Diesel Supply Deal

On Friday, the U.S. Treasury issued a temporary general licence easing sanctions on proposed Russian diesel deliveries. NPR reported that the waiver covers diesel loaded onto tankers as of Friday and lasts until April 2027. Trump had announced a supply plan under which Russia would provide diesel to U.S. and global markets in several tranches, but the White House did not say when any fuel would become available.

President Donald Trump on Saturday called on Ukraine to replace Volodymyr Zelensky after announcing the supply plan.

“I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal”

Trump said the announced Russian supply plan would lower fuel prices quickly for Americans and global consumers.

Zelensky condemned the plan as unfair, dishonest and a gift to Putin. He said Russia had received sanctions relief without a clear, lasting commitment to de-escalate, while Ukraine had been excluded even as its negotiators met U.S. envoys. He questioned whether rewarding Moscow before further negotiations would make peace diplomacy harder.

According to Axios, a U.S. official with direct knowledge said Trump struck the deal after Zelensky ignored repeated U.S. requests to stop attacks on Russian refineries. The refinery-strike dispute was the reported link between Trump's position on Ukraine and the diesel arrangement.

The case for cheaper fuel

The Iran war sent the cost of petrol and especially diesel sharply higher, providing the backdrop for Trump's argument that additional Russian supply could lower prices.

Trump said Russia would release 300,000 tonnes immediately to U.S. and global markets, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and a further one million tonnes after that. He described lower prices for farmers, ranchers and truckers as a priority. In addition to those stated tranches, which total 1.8 million tonnes, Trump wrote that a further three million tonnes of Russian diesel would be delivered “within a short period,” dependent on the condition of Russia's refineries.

Trump predicted that Russian diesel, together with oil flowing from the Strait of Hormuz, would reduce prices quickly. He also blamed Ukraine's refinery strikes for high U.S. fuel costs, arguing that the attacks had become a global energy problem.

Tim Armitage and other energy analysts challenged Trump's prediction. Armitage said the first tranche equated to approximately 2.25 million barrels, while daily U.S. diesel consumption was around 3.8 million barrels. Armitage and other energy analysts said the first shipment's size relative to daily U.S. diesel consumption made a material near-term fall in American diesel prices unlikely. They therefore regarded the plan as unlikely to materially reduce U.S. diesel prices in the near term.

Those analysts also cited damaged Russian refining capacity. The International Energy Agency estimates that Russian diesel output has fallen by about 30%. Available reporting did not specify a timeframe, baseline or scope for that estimate. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about who was paying for the diesel from Russia or when fuel supplied under the plan would become available. Those analysts also raised the possibility that the fuel would be diverted from existing customers rather than add supply to the global market. They said those factors, alongside the first shipment's size and lower output, made immediate price relief unlikely.

Dispute over refinery attacks

“Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure.”

Zelensky advocated a reciprocal energy ceasefire as a first step towards stopping the war.

Political and congressional response

Kaja Kallas argued that sanctions relief would give Russia revenue to continue its war, while European officials pledged to maintain or deepen sanctions pressure.

In the U.S., Republican lawmakers including Michael McCaul, Lisa Murkowski, John Kennedy and Mike Rogers opposed importing Russian diesel and easing sanctions, saying the measures would give Russia revenue to continue its war. Democrats including Chuck Schumer described the plan as an improper financial benefit to Putin rather than pressure on Russia. Kennedy argued that ending the Iran war would lower diesel prices instead.

Wes Streeting said Britain did not support the plan and that allies should intensify pressure on Russia to shorten the war. Streeting and Andrew Griffith said the choice of Ukraine's leader belonged to Ukrainians. Kemi Badenoch also criticised Trump for easing sanctions and blaming Zelensky, arguing that Ukraine's freedom was not his to bargain away and that rewarding Russia would encourage further aggression.

Streeting cautioned against overstating what the dispute meant for American support for Ukraine. He pointed to U.S. weapons procurement, intelligence-related assistance and the U.S.-led diplomatic effort as evidence that support remained substantial. He said Britain should work to restore unity between Washington and Kyiv.

Beyond the policy criticism, Sen. Thom Tillis raised a separate legal objection. He said there was a legitimate case that Trump was not following the law, citing Congress's earlier ban on Russian oil imports and saying lawmakers had not amended it after the diesel announcement.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said he would introduce the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act to block Russian oil purchases and seek a House vote through a discharge petition. Axios reported that the proposal faced procedural and timing obstacles even if it reached the House floor. Fitzpatrick predicted overwhelming passage if it reached the House floor.

Unresolved questions include whether prices will fall as Trump predicts, whether sanctions relief will complicate diplomacy and strengthen Russia's capacity to finance its war, as Zelensky, European officials and lawmakers contend, and whether Congress can respond.