President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, a day after announcing an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase Russian diesel exports to global markets.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Zelenskyy could have ended the war earlier and blamed him for the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“Zelenskyy could have settled this war many times, many, many times, and he chooses not to. Very difficult. It's a war that should have never been started,” Trump said.
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Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, launching a war that has continued for more than four years.
“That’s a war that should have never started. And I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump said.
The war helped drive energy prices higher in 2022. Prices later eased, but oil and fuel costs surged again in early 2026 following military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.
Trump said Russia plans to export 300,000 tons of diesel in October, 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons in December. The United States and its allies have largely avoided Russian energy imports since the invasion because of concerns the revenue could help fund Moscow’s war effort.
Trump also warned Zelenskyy against targeting Russian refineries, saying Ukrainian strikes have disrupted global energy markets.
“He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel, because Russia supplies a large portion of the diesel fuel throughout the world,” Trump said. “And we told him, do whatever you want, but don’t hit the diesel fuel, because there’s a big problem, a big shortage. And what does he do? He goes and hits the diesel fuel.”
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Zelenskyy criticized the agreement in a post on X on Saturday.
“Every additional billion dollars they can earn from exports will be spent on nothing but sourcing and importing critical components and equipment to manufacture weapons, upgrading ‘Shaheds,’ producing missiles, and recruiting even more mercenaries to fight at the front,” Zelenskyy wrote. “Russia’s choice is war. And they will be ready to end it only when they feel that their ability to drag the war out is diminishing.”
Trump’s comments come as Republicans seek to improve their standing with voters ahead of the midterm elections, where recent polling has suggested Democrats could make gains.
