On Saturday, October 10, Donald Trump said that “it is time for a new president for Ukraine” and that Kyiv must find a leader able to reach a deal; he accused Volodymyr Zelensky of “creating problems for the world” and of hitting Russian refineries (ANSA, Il Sole 24 ORE, RaiNews, BBC). The attack follows the diesel deal with Vladimir Putin announced on Friday: 300,000 tonnes immediately and eased sanctions (Reuters, AP). Zelensky had criticized it as “an investment in the war.” Moscow applauded, London and Brussels defended Zelensky and Germany confirmed the sanctions (ANSA, Reuters). Russia then struck Zaporizhzhia: 12 dead according to AGI, 17 according to Tgcom24, 20 or more for other outlets. The figures are still provisional.
Calling for a change of leader in a country at war, while a truce is being negotiated, puts the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government in question and weakens its position at the table. At the same time, easing sanctions removes economic pressure from Moscow. If Washington and Brussels move in opposite directions, Europe has to decide whether to go ahead alone on sanctions and aid.
The effects for people in Italy come through three channels: the price of diesel and energy, the position of the government and the European Union on sanctions, and the domestic political debate, where the line on Ukraine divides both the majority and the Campo largo. The price at the pump depends on many factors, so for now nothing certain changes.
Those who defend Trump’s line argue that an interlocutor able to close a deal is needed and that hitting refineries raises fuel prices for everyone; on this reading Moscow has to be brought in to stop the war.
Kyiv and the Europeans reply that sanctions are the lever to bring Moscow to the table, that easing them rewards those who bomb cities, and that it is Ukrainians, not Washington, who choose the Ukrainian president.
Trump’s words matter more than the numbers on diesel: they take away support from Zelensky just as a truce is being discussed. DailyDrop has not seen the text of the American authorization and treats the threat to cut off intelligence as unconfirmed. To watch: the Burnham–Zelensky meeting, the meeting of European ministers and whether the Miami talks resume.
ANSA · Il Sole 24 ORE · BBC · Reuters · AP · The Guardian · Corriere della Sera · La Stampa · October 10, 2026
Trump: “It’s time for a new president for Ukraine.” Moscow applauds, Europe and London stay with Zelensky
The day after the diesel deal with Putin, the US president attacks Zelensky and asks Kyiv to change leader. Today, Sunday, attention turns to contacts among Ukrainians, Europeans and Americans after the Ukrainian delegation left the Miami talks early.
On Saturday Donald Trump said that “it is time for a new president for Ukraine”: Kyiv, he explained, must find a leader “able to reach a deal” (ANSA, Il Sole 24 ORE, RaiNews, BBC). Volodymyr Zelensky, he added, “wants to create problems for the world” and must stop hitting Russian refineries; according to FinancialJuice, Trump also asked Ukraine to hold elections. The words come after the diesel deal: on Friday, at the end of a phone call with Vladimir Putin, Trump had announced that Russia will supply “immediately” 300,000 tonnes of diesel and that the United States is easing sanctions on Moscow (Reuters, AP, ANSA). Zelensky had called it “an investment in the war” (Reuters). The Russian government then announced a partial lifting of the ban on exporting diesel (FinancialJuice), while Germany reiterated that it is keeping the sanctions (Reuters).
Moscow applauded: the Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev called Trump’s position “iconic and historic” (ANSA, EADaily) and the Kremlin spoke of “much understanding” on Putin’s part for some American proposals on de-escalation, that is, on reducing tensions (ANSA). Kyiv replied that statements from abroad “confirm that Zelensky is doing his job well” (ANSA). British prime minister Andy Burnham expressed “full solidarity” with Zelensky and will meet him in person in the coming days (ANSA, British government). The High Representative of the European Union for foreign policy, Kaja Kallas, said that stopping the sanctions on Russian diesel “finances Moscow’s war,” and Brussels reiterated that it will continue to reduce energy dependence on Russia (ANSA). Meanwhile in Miami Americans, Ukrainians and Europeans were working on a truce proposal: the Ukrainian delegation left the meetings early and La Stampa reports its anger (“they treated us like fools”).
On the ground, Russia bombed Zaporizhzhia, a city in south-eastern Ukraine. The toll is not clear-cut: 12 dead according to AGI, 17 according to Tgcom24, up to 20 or 21 for other outlets, including three children (ANSA, Guardian, The Straits Times). Zelensky spoke of a “thank you” from Putin for the lifting of sanctions (ANSA, Il Sole 24 ORE). On the price of diesel the effects are uncertain: Bloomberg and several analysts say the deal is unlikely to bring American prices down, while in Italy, ANSA writes, diesel is falling and the idea of sliding excise duties, that is, a tax that adjusts to prices, has receded. DailyDrop has not seen the text of the American authorization and cannot say what volumes are planned beyond the first cargo; Washington’s threat to cut off intelligence with Kyiv is reported for now by a single agency and is in the “Unverified” box. To watch: the meeting between Burnham and Zelensky and the European Union’s response.