President Donald Trump said Saturday that "it's time for Ukraine to get a new president," a day after he announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring Russian diesel onto U.S. and world markets and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly condemned it.
The back-to-back developments opened a public rift between Washington and Kyiv, and they came as U.S., Ukrainian and European negotiators met in Miami on a plan to end the war.
What Trump and Putin agreed
Trump announced the arrangement Friday, Oct. 9, on Truth Social after a phone call with Putin. He said Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons after that, followed by about 3 million more tons "within a short period of time," according to CBS News and Axios.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Russia-related General License 135 the same day. The license authorizes transactions involving the sale, delivery, offloading and importation of diesel fuel of Russian origin, including into the United States, through 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2027. It does not permit debits to U.S. accounts held by Russia's central bank, its National Wealth Fund or its Finance Ministry.
Trump wrote that lower prices for farmers, ranchers and truckers were his "Greatest Priority" and predicted prices would come down "IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!"
The Kremlin confirmed the call and said it also covered Ukraine and Iran. Putin said Russia was ready to supply oil and petroleum products to American and global markets.
Why diesel matters
Diesel prices have climbed sharply since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began in February and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted. AAA's national average stood at $6.28 a gallon at the time of the announcement, up from $3.68 a year earlier, according to CBS News. The record of $6.53 was set Sept. 22.
Diesel moves trucks, tractors and construction equipment, so its price feeds into the cost of groceries and most other goods.
Diesel futures fell about 4% after the announcement but remained more than double their level at the start of the year, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.
Some analysts questioned how much difference the Russian volumes can make. Joseph Webster of the Atlantic Council said the promised Russian volumes are "not only uncertain to materialize" but "wouldn't address the global diesel shortage," Axios reported. Axios reported that the world has lost roughly 6 million to 8 million barrels per day of refining capacity since late spring because of Middle East outages, shipping limits, damaged Russian refineries and lower Chinese output.
Zelenskyy's objection and Trump's response
Zelenskyy wrote on X that "gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world" and warned that Russia would "repay" the diesel with more attacks. He argued that sanctions relief without a lasting de-escalation agreement is "an obvious weakness."
On Saturday, after a Russian glide-bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia, Zelenskyy said Russia had said "thank you" for the sanctions easing and that "different signals are needed."
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Saturday before departing on a trip, Trump blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for high diesel prices. "I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal," he said, adding, "I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president." Of the refinery strikes, he said, "He better damn well stop."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded on X that Zelenskyy "has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide."
The war on the ground
Regional officials said at least 20 people, including three children, were killed Saturday when Russian aerial bombs hit residential buildings, CBS News and Al Jazeera reported. Kyiv's mayor said four people were wounded in a daytime missile attack on the capital the same day. Al Jazeera said it was the third mass-casualty Russian attack on Ukraine in four days.
Pushback in Congress
The license drew criticism from both parties. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said, "It surely looks bad," according to RFE/RL. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote on social media that it was "a stain on our nation's character."
The move came weeks after Trump signed legislation intended to tighten sanctions on countries that support Moscow's energy trade. Officials have not explained how the new license squares with the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022, RFE/RL reported. None of the announcements said who will pay for the diesel or exactly when it will arrive.
What's next
The Miami talks ended Friday without a breakthrough. Watch for whether Russian cargoes actually arrive in November, whether diesel prices fall before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and whether Congress moves to challenge the license. Kyiv has told U.S. envoys it is ready to take symmetrical de-escalation steps, including halting refinery strikes if Russia stops hitting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, according to Axios.
Ecker Geopolitics could not independently verify the delivery schedule Trump described; neither Washington nor Moscow has released contract terms.