US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has called for Ukraine to get a new leader, accusing Volodymyr Zelenskyy of standing in the way of a peace deal with Russia.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Trump claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin was eager to reach a settlement, following a phone call between the two leaders on Friday.

“Russia would like to make a deal… but for whatever reason, Zelenskyy does not want to make a deal,” Trump said.

“President Putin would like to see a settlement, strongly.”

Trump also criticised Zelenskyy for not holding an election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“I think he should have an election and he could have settled this thing many times,” he said.

The comments came amid a growing diplomatic row over Washington’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel, allowing Moscow to release more fuel onto global markets as the US faces rising energy prices.

Zelenskyy described the move as a “weak decision”, while Ukraine’s European allies warned that easing economic pressure on Russia could help finance its war.

Responding to Zelenskyy’s criticism, Trump accused the Ukrainian president of ignoring his instructions not to attack Russian oil refineries, arguing that the strikes risked worsening global fuel shortages linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

“He better damn well stop,” Trump said.

"I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president," President Trump said Saturday, slamming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for targeting Russian diesel refineries after Trump made a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel. "He can do whatever he wants, but he can't do that because we have a world problem," Trump said. "And the problem is caused by the lack of refineries for diesel fuel... He'd better damn well stop."

— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 10, 2026

“I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made many deals that, for some reason, he never does.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticised the easing of sanctions, saying it would help sustain Russia’s war effort.

“This is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe won’t,” she wrote online.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also reiterated his “complete solidarity” with Zelenskyy, pledging to strengthen British sanctions against Moscow.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga defended Zelenskyy, saying he had the support of the Ukrainian people, who had the right to decide their country’s leadership.

Russian attacks

The dispute unfolded as Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least 21 people on Saturday, including children.

A Russian glide bomb attack on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed 20 people, including three children, according to Ukraine’s state rescue service.

An AFP correspondent at the scene saw rescue workers pulling survivors and bodies from the rubble of damaged residential buildings.

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

Rescue workers pictured carrying a body after pulling from the rubble of a residential building in Zaporizhzhia. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Elsewhere, a Russian drone strike in the central Dnipropetrovsk region killed an 11-year-old boy, while attacks also caused widespread power cuts in Kyiv.

Russia’s defence ministry said it had targeted a data centre used by the Ukrainian military.

Renewed peace talks

The dispute comes as US, Ukrainian and European officials held talks in Miami aimed at finding a way to end the war.

US envoy Steve Witkoff described the discussions, involving Ukraine, Nato, the European Commission and three European countries, as “constructive”.

He said they focused on ways to de-escalate the conflict ahead of winter and work towards a lasting peace.

The Kremlin said Trump had also outlined proposals for de-escalating the war during his Friday phone call with Putin.

It said the Russian president had received the proposals “with understanding”, but provided no further details.

Russia currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, more than four years after launching its full-scale invasion.