President Trump ripped into Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday insisting that it’s time for Ukraine to “get a new president.”

The fiery comments came just hours after his administration announced a deal to have Russia supply 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the US and global energy markets. 

The president described the arrangement as a direct response to Zelensky’s continued targeting of Russian oil refineries – even after Trump asked him to stop the attacks.

President Trump told reporters outside the White House that it’s time for Ukraine to “get a new president.” on Oct. 10, 2026. Getty Images

“I said to him: ‘do what you want, don’t hit refineries,’” Trump told reporters as he left the White House Saturday afternoon en route to a rally in Tennessee.

He hammered Zelensky for failing to bring about an end to the Ukraine war, which began with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin launching a full-scale invasion in February 2022.

“You’ve lost 30% of your country and you’ve had over a million people killed. … I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump fumed.

“Zelensky 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,” he continued.

Trump said he told Zelensky “ don’t hit the refineries.”

“That’s a world problem that’s causing. And he wants to make problems for the world,” he said about his counterpart.

“He’d better damned well stop,” Trump said, adding Kyiv should “get a new leader who can make a deal.”

Average US diesel prices have topped $6 per gallon, hitting US farmers and consumers with higher costs. Trump was headed to Tennessee, his latest trip to a red-leaning state in the run-up to the midterms, where Republicans are facing tight races in several agricultural states, including Iowa and Kansas that party operatives attribute in part to high fuel costs.

It was some of the sharpest remarks thrown at Zelensky since the infamous Oval Office meeting in February 2025 where Vice President JD Vance tore into the Ukrainian leader.

After Moscow launched a massive air campaign overnight into Saturday that killed at least 17 Ukrainians, including three children, Zelensky responded with his own biting post on X.

“Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” he wrote.

“Last night confirmed once again that in Russia, they take any easing of pressure to mean they can keep fighting, to mean they can keep dropping bombs on cities.”

Some Republicans have also criticized the deal with Russia, which gets around economic pressure meant to persuade Putin to stop his war.

“Unfortunately, while I understand the desire to bring down diesel prices, I am concerned the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil will only fund the Kremlin’s war machine—emboldening more violence and destruction, as we have seen in recent days,” posted Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) on X Friday.

Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, also weighed telling Fox & Friends Weekend, during an appearance Saturday, that the president was merely creating “solutions.” 

“President Trump has heard people have been frustrated with the gas prices. People are frustrated with the increasing grocery prices,” she said.

“And he is delivering what he always does, which are solutions.”