Donald Trump has said Ukraine should elect a new president capable of reaching an agreement, Deutsche Welle reports. Speaking at the White House on Saturday 10 October 2026, the US president criticised Volodymyr Zelenskyy and warned Ukraine against attacking Russian refineries.
According to DW’s report, Trump said it was time for a change in Ukraine’s leadership. He accused Zelenskyy of failing to reach an agreement and suggested electing someone who could do so. That is the US president’s assessment, not an established finding about Zelenskyy’s responsibility for the absence of an agreement.
Trump’s call does not amount to an announcement of elections in Ukraine or a decision to replace its president. It is a political statement by the US leader about another country’s government, rather than news that an electoral process has begun.
In the same remarks, Trump warned Ukraine against attacks on Russian refineries. DW reports that he also said he had previously conveyed that warning to Zelenskyy. The report does not include the Ukrainian president’s response to these specific remarks.
