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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected United States President Donald Trump’s call for his replacement, insisting that Ukrainians should decide who leads their country.
However, Zelensky said Ukraine could organise elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, allowing the country to hold its first national vote since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Speaking to ABC News in a televised interview on Sunday, Zelensky said he had conveyed the proposal to Trump’s team, arguing that a two-month halt in fighting would provide the conditions needed to organise an election.
The exchange followed renewed tensions between the two presidents after Trump announced on Friday that he would temporarily lift sanctions on a large quantity of Russian diesel in an effort to reduce fuel prices ahead of the US midterm elections in November.
Trump criticised Zelensky on Saturday over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, arguing that the attacks had contributed to rising diesel prices. He also called for Ukraine to replace its president with a leader willing to negotiate an end to the war.
Zelensky maintained that Ukraine’s leadership must be determined by its own people, rather than by an external government.
“First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader,” Zelensky said.
Trump’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian oil has drawn criticism from Ukraine, several European allies of the United States and some members of his own Republican Party.
Despite the dispute, Zelensky stressed the importance of maintaining American support, saying it remained central to efforts to end the war and prevent further Russian aggression.
He expressed hope that the disagreement would not undermine cooperation between Washington and European capitals, acknowledging that preserving unity among Ukraine’s partners was becoming increasingly difficult.
“To stop Putin — and I think this is the main goal, to stop him, this is the main deal, to stop this war … we count on American support,” he told ABC News.
“Then, and of course, we count on our European partners, and I hope that we will save this unity, Europe and the United States,” he added, noting it was “really not simple.”
Zelensky also reiterated that Kyiv was prepared to accept a ceasefire, including an agreement limited to attacks on energy infrastructure, if Moscow was willing to reciprocate.
He argued that Russia’s latest strikes indicated that the Kremlin was not facing sufficient pressure to end the conflict.
Describing the week as particularly difficult, the Ukrainian leader said Russian attacks had repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure, including the country’s energy sector.
He reported 196 attacks on electricity infrastructure and another 20 targeting gas and oil facilities, adding that 153 civilians had been killed so far.
“This week was very difficult for us, not only geopolitically. First of all, because of massive attacks, Russian attacks on our civilian infrastructure,” he said.
“So they attacked 196 times our energy sector, it’s only electricity, plus 20 times gas and oil, and they killed, for now, 153 civilians,” Zelensky added.
