Trump told reporters outside the White House on Saturday that Zelensky wants to make problems for the world by authorizing strikes on Russian refineries.
The backstory: Trump confirmed Friday that Washington had agreed with Moscow to suspend sanctions on Russian diesel exports until April 7. Russia would release 300,000 tonnes of diesel first, then 500,000 tonnes in November, with millions more to follow.
- Zelensky said the arrangement lets Moscow raise fresh money for weapons, and accused Russia of reading it as permission to keep bombing Ukrainian cities.
What they're saying: Trump said Ukraine should "get a new leader who can make a deal," adding: "He could have made many deals and for some reason, he never does."
- Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev called Trump's intervention iconic and historic, saying Ukraine needs leadership focused on peace.
Between the lines: Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia invaded in 2022, which suspends elections. Trump made a similar call for a Ukrainian vote last December.
By the numbers: US diesel averages $6.28 a gallon, up from $5.94 a month ago and $3.68 a year ago, according to AAA. The war against Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to most traffic, and roughly a fifth of the world's oil products normally moves through it.
The other side: EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said suspending sanctions hands Moscow more revenue, and European foreign ministers plan to approve their largest sanctions package of the war on Monday.
Why it matters: Diesel sets the price of moving freight, so pump relief ahead of the midterms would feed straight into grocery and shipping costs, while Kyiv loses leverage it spent a year building with refinery strikes.
