Trump says Ukraine should elect a new president
Key Points:
- Former US President Donald Trump called for Ukraine to get a new leader, criticizing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not doing enough to end the war with Russia and suggesting Zelenskyy has failed to secure a peace deal.
- Trump claimed Ukraine lost 30% of its territory and millions of lives due to the conflict, though independent estimates put Russian-controlled territory at about 20% and casualties differ significantly.
- Trump warned Zelenskyy against targeting Russian oil refineries and recently reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift US sanctions on Russian diesel exports, a move that has drawn criticism from Ukraine and its allies.
- Moscow welcomed Trump's call for Zelenskyy's ouster, with Kremlin officials echoing the sentiment that Ukraine needs leadership focused on peace rather than continued conflict.
- The call for Zelenskyy's removal came shortly after Russian attacks killed 20 people in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, with Zelenskyy condemning the attacks as a response to the US-Russia diesel sanction lift.