President Donald Trump called for a leadership change in Ukraine, blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for driving up global energy prices and prolonging a war that Russia started.
"I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president," Trump told reporters on Oct. 10.
The current phase of the war started when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's territory.
Trump's criticism of Zelenskyy comes a day after he announced an agreement with Putin that would allow the United States to begin importing Russian diesel fuel in a bid to lower oil prices ahead of November's midterm elections.
The deal struck between Trump and Putin
effectively gives Russia a lifeline as its economy falters amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Trump has recently complained to Zelenskyy about Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure as his attention has shifted to high diesel prices
Though energy experts have attributed the energy crisis to global shortages caused by both the war in Iran and Russia's war against Ukraine, Trump has primarily placed blame on Ukraine for diesel prices reaching a record-high in the United States.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump calls for leadership change in Ukraine in rebuke to Zelenskyy
