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WASHINGTON: Donald Trump called on Saturday for Ukraine to \u201cget a new leader\u201d after Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Washington\u2019s easing of Russian diesel sanctions, as the US president faces fuel price pressure weeks before midterm elections.<\/strong><\/p>\n Trump, whose Republicans face dim prospects in next month\u2019s vote partly because of soaring energy costs, defended a deal allowing more Russian diesel onto global markets after saying Vladimir Putin wanted \u201cstrongly\u201d to reach a settlement in Ukraine.<\/p>\n Trump accused the Ukrainian president of blocking a deal with Moscow and ignoring instructions to not strike Russian refineries, while Kyiv and its European allies warned that easing pressure on Moscow would help fund the Kremlin\u2019s war.<\/p>\n The row unfolded as the latest Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 21 people, including children.<\/p>\n Trump announced Friday that he had spoken to Putin and agreed for Russia to release large amounts of diesel into world markets.<\/p>\n Ukraine and its European allies expressed dismay, with Zelensky telling reporters Friday it was a \u201cweak decision.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about the criticism, Trump said Zelensky had disobeyed his orders not to strike Russian refineries and that the attacks risked worsening fuel shortages linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran.<\/p>\n \u201cHe better damn well stop,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n \u201cI suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made many deals that, for some reason, he never does,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n Trump later said Putin was interested in ending the war.<\/p>\n \u201cRussia would like to make a deal\u2026 but for whatever reason, Zelensky does not want to make a deal,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Putin would like to see a settlement, strongly.\u201d<\/p>\n The US president also criticised Zelensky for not holding an election since Russia\u2019s invasion in 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he should have an election, and he could have settled this thing many times,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n Allies back Kyiv<\/strong><\/p>\n EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said lifting sanctions on Russian diesel would only help sustain Russia\u2019s war effort.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe won\u2019t,\u201d she wrote online.<\/p>\n UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham reiterated his \u201ccomplete solidarity\u201d with Zelensky in a call.<\/p>\n Downing Street said Burnham also pledged that Britain would \u201cstrengthen its sanctions on Russia\u201d.<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga also backed his president. \u201cHe has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide,\u201d he said in a post on X.<\/p>\n On Saturday, a Russian glide bomb attack on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed 20 people, including three children, according to Ukraine\u2019s state rescue service.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,\u201d Zelensky said in a post on X.<\/p>\n An AFP correspondent saw rescue workers pulling survivors and bodies from the rubble.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw people under the rubble \u2014 a woman, her husband and a child,\u201d one rescuer, Daniil Pishkin, told AFP.<\/p>\n He said two people were rescued alive, but \u201cunfortunately there was a little girl who died\u201d.<\/p>\n A resident identified as Iryna, 69, said she managed to shelter in her bathroom after receiving an air-raid alert.<\/p>\n Her two neighbors were killed.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were 75 years old. They were simply thrown out there, onto the street. They didn\u2019t make it to the hospital,\u201d she told AFP.<\/p>\n A Russian drone attack in the central Dnipropetrovsk region killed an 11-year-old boy, regional officials said.<\/p>\n Russian strikes also caused widespread power cuts in Kyiv.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s defense ministry said it had hit a \u201cdata center\u201d used by Ukraine\u2019s military.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n