Trump calls on Ukraine to “get a new president” over strikes on Russian diesel refineries
Donald Trump said on Saturday that Ukraine “better damn well stop” striking Russia’s diesel refineries and called for a new Ukrainian president who would make a deal with Vladimir Putin, the Herald and ABC reported. It followed the Russian diesel supply deal he announced on Friday. The New York Times said Kyiv shrugged off the call, and the Mirror and Breakingthenews reported that Volodymyr Zelenskiy proposed a mutual halt to strikes on energy targets with Russia. Bloomberg Television headlined the day “Trump Presses Zelenskyy to Step Aside”. Outlets said Russian strikes on Ukraine killed 21 people, including children.
Fuel prices are pushing Washington to press Kyiv over its attacks on Russian refineries, and the call for a change of leader is an extraordinary step toward an ally at war.
A mutual truce on energy would ease pressure on global diesel prices, which flow through to Australian trucking, farming and freight costs.
Watch whether Moscow responds to Zelenskiy’s offer, and whether Europe pushes back on the call to replace him.
DailyDrop Australia edition No. 8 · Morning · MON., OCT. 12, 2026