Trump attacks Zelensky: "Ukraine needs a new president"

Donald Trump launched a frontal attack against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting Ukraine should "find a new leader." The statements come after Kyiv's criticism of the agreement signed between Washington and Moscow for the supply of Russian diesel to the United States.

Trump accused Zelensky of wanting to "create problems for the world" and of being responsible for the prolongation of the war, claiming that "he could have resolved this war many times." The verbal attack represents a total breakdown in relations between the two leaders, which developed over the last 24 hours following the announcement of the energy agreement.

Tensions erupted during talks in Miami between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations, where Trump's envoys raised the possibility of halting intelligence sharing if Kyiv did not stop attacks on Russian refineries. A few hours after the meeting, Ukraine struck an oil terminal in Rostov-on-Don.

The conflict in Ukraine, which began with the Russian invasion in February 2022, has seen the United States as Kyiv's primary military and economic supporter. This alliance has fractured with the election of Donald Trump, who has consistently expressed skepticism about the American commitment and preferred a direct negotiating approach with Russia.

The current crisis stems from a dual initiative by Trump: on one hand, the agreement with Putin to import Russian diesel, effectively revoking some sanctions; on the other, the secret negotiations initiated on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in late September. In these talks, American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff offered Russia billion-dollar economic incentives in exchange for a partial ceasefire.

Thus, Kyiv was faced with a dramatic choice: accept unilateral pressure to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure (which deprive Moscow of resources for the war) or risk losing American intelligence support. The Ukrainian reaction was to continue military operations, triggering Trump's furious response, who is now openly seeking a change in leadership in Kyiv.