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But Trump wasn't about to let that slide. The president fired back hard, pointing out that Ukraine has repeatedly ignored American requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries — attacks that have contributed to rising diesel prices here at home.
According to an Axios exclusive, Trump made multiple petitions to Zelensky in September asking him to halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Zelensky ignored at least half a dozen of those requests, leading directly to the diesel deal announced Friday.
The Deal That Set Off the Fireworks
Trump announced the agreement on Truth Social, stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately "to the American and global marketplace," followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and another million after that. A further three million tonnes would be delivered "within a short period," contingent on the condition of Russia's refineries — the same refineries Ukraine has been targeting.
As part of the arrangement, the U.S. Treasury is suspending sanctions on Russian diesel exports until April 7, according to reporting from the BBC. Other Russian assets held in American banks remain frozen.
Trump framed the deal as necessary to bring down diesel prices ahead of November's midterm elections, where fuel costs remain a top voter concern.
Zelensky, however, was having none of it.
Zelensky's Angry Response
In an audio-only statement released to legacy media outlets Friday — translated by X — Zelensky expressed his outrage while his negotiating team was in Florida for two-day peace talks with U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
"At this very moment, while our team is meeting with the U.S. team in Florida, the U.S. President is having a conversation with the Kremlin leader, the leader responsible for this war and this aggression, and they reach an agreement under which USA gives Russia the opportunity to export diesel fuel," Zelensky said. "This is additional money for this war. This is additional money for the suffering caused to us, without question. This only fuels Putin and gives him the power to keep fighting even more."
He added: "This is, I don't know, millions, billions. In any case, all of this goes toward the war against our people, against Ukraine, against all of us."
Trump's Brutal Counterpunch
Trump didn't hold back. On Saturday, the president said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, suggesting Zelensky has failed to end the war and blaming him directly for high American diesel prices.
"I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does," Trump said.
The president's frustration is understandable. According to RedState, Trump had repeatedly asked Zelensky to stop bombing Russian refineries — strikes that have disrupted global fuel supplies and driven up prices for American families. Zelensky ignored those requests, and now he's upset about the consequences.
Putin's Response
Putin later said Russia — which had previously banned diesel exports earlier this year — was willing to supply both the U.S. and global markets with oil and petroleum products. His statement did not specify amounts.
Zelensky claimed the deal was already paying bloody dividends. On Saturday, Ukrainian officials announced that Russian strikes on the country's southeast had killed 20 people, including three children. Zelensky blamed the attacks on the sanctions relief.
"Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia," Zelensky posted on social media. "Last night confirmed once again that in Russia, they take any easing of pressure to mean they can keep fighting."
There were also "large-scale power outages" reported in Kyiv, according to the country's largest private energy provider.
European Allies Back Ukraine
Zelensky's position was quickly backed by Ukraine's European allies, who criticized the deal as effectively funding Moscow's war machine. The EU has yet to formally respond to the arrangement.
Tim Armitage, an investment strategist at Quilter Cheviot, told the BBC the numbers mentioned by Trump were "relatively small," noting the first tranche equated to approximately 2.25 million barrels while daily U.S. consumption sits around 3.8 million barrels. "So it won't make a material difference to pump prices in the U.S.," he said — though he acknowledged more releases were coming.
Our Take
Here's the reality folks: Zelensky wants American money and American weapons, but he doesn't want to listen when the American president asks him to stop doing things that hurt American families at the pump.
Trump gave Zelensky every opportunity to do the right thing. Half a dozen requests. Ignored. Every time.
And now Zelensky — who has received billions of American taxpayer dollars — has the audacity to call Trump's decision "weak" while his negotiators were literally sitting in Florida begging for more American support.
The president is absolutely right. Zelensky could have made a deal. He chose not to. He gambled that perpetual war and perpetual American funding was a better bet than peace.
This isn't about being pro-Russia. It's about being pro-America. When diesel prices soar and American families struggle to fill their tanks, the president has a duty to act. Trump is acting.
Zelensky feeling "betrayed"? The only thing betrayed here is the trust of American taxpayers who've watched their hard-earned dollars flow into a war with no end in sight and a leader who refuses to make peace on any terms but his own.
Trump told him to get a new leader. Maybe that's exactly what Ukraine needs — someone who actually wants to end the war instead of endlessly prolonging it on America's dime.
The days of blank checks for Ukraine are over. That's what America First looks like.
