Trump attack on Zelensky? Ukraine reacts and Russia praises: “Iconic”

A Russia today welcomed the US President's call to replace the Ukrainian Head of State, while Ukraine's diplomacy signaled the people's support for Zelensky.

The President of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump, today argued that it was time for Ukraine to have a new head of state, suggesting that the present, Volodymyr Zelensky, did not do enough to end the war with Russia.

“I suggest you get a new leader, who can make a deal,” he said during a speech at the White House, quoted by the Associated Press agency, adding that “for some reason [Zelensky] never does.”.

Ukraine reacted through the Foreign Minister, who stressed the popularity of the Head of State: “He has the support of the Ukrainian people and he has the right to decide.”.

“ The statements from abroad only confirm that he's doing his job well. He deserves to be supported”, said Andriy Sybiga, in a publication on social network X.

President @ZelenskyyUa leads our nation in a time of war — a war for independence, freedom, and dignity. He has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide. Statements from open only confirm that he is doing his job well. He deserves support.

— Andrii Sybiha October 10, 2026

Kiril Dmítriev, a Russian emissary for economic cooperation with the US, pointed out that Zelensky “want to cause problems for the whole world.”.

“President Trump joins those who believe that Ukraine needs leadership really focused on peace and not on Zelensky’s warmongery,” he also wrote on the X, saying that “diesel diplomacy exposed Zelensky.”.

“Iconic and historical,” he added.

President Trump joins the many who believe that Ukraine needs leadership currently focused on peace, not Zelensky’s warnering: “It’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.” Iconic and historic.

— Kirill Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) October 10, 2026

Donald Trump suggested that if he were president of the United States of America (USA) in 2022, “that war [between Russia and Ukraine] would never have started.”.

“ There was no reason for the war between Ukraine and Russia to begin. It began due to incompetence ", said.

The Ukrainian President, he added, “lost 30% of his country and there are more than one million displaced people on both sides, more than two million dead.”.

“It’s a war that should never have started. And I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” he said.

Russian attacks killed at least 20 people, including three children in Zaporijia in southeastern Ukraine, today reported Ukrainian authorities, the day after the US President announced an agreement for the purchase of Russian diesel which, according to Kiev, would help finance the war.

Also today, missiles hit Kiev, with the Ukrainian authorities recording four wounded.

On Friday, the United States temporarily authorized the sale, delivery, unloading and import of Russian gas oil, including its entry into the US market until April 7, 2027, despite the sanctions imposed on Moscow.

However, the Office for the Control of Foreign Assets (OFAC) maintains restrictions on payments through accounts of three Russian State financial institutions.

The measure was justified by Donald Trump as an effort to curb the rise in fuel prices since the start of the Israeli-American offensive against Iran on 28 February.

According to the leader of the White House, Russia immediately agreed to release 300,000 tons of diesel “to the American and global market”, followed by 500,000 tons in November and another million later.

Zelensky considered that Russia “expressed its gratitude” to Washington for lifting oil sanctions through new bombings against its country, and Ukraine intensified the attacks on Russia, targeting an oil terminal in the Rostov region.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham declared his “total solidarity” with the Ukrainian head of state in a telephone conversation between the two rulers.

The diplomatic efforts under Washington mediation to end more than four years of Russian offensive in Ukraine are currently at a standstill.