Ukraine Responds to Trump's 'New President' Remarks: 'Zelensky Has Public Support'

Ukraine and Russia have shown contrasting reactions after U.S. President Donald Trump targeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the 10th (local time), stating that "it is time for Ukraine to have a new president."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that day, "President Zelenskyy is leading the country through a war for independence, freedom, and dignity," adding, "He has the support of the Ukrainian people."

Minister Sybiha also noted, "The Ukrainian people have the right to decide," and added, "Foreign statements only confirm that President Zelenskyy is doing his job well. He deserves support."

He went on to emphasize that President Zelenskyy held successive meetings that day with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, stating, "The support of our partners remains steadfast and enduring."

On the other hand, Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy for international investment and economic cooperation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, welcomed President Trump's remarks as "symbolic and historic."

Writing on X, Special Envoy Dmitriev stated, "President Trump has joined many who believe that Ukraine needs a leader focused on real peace, not Zelenskyy's warmongering behavior."

He also posted a manipulated image of a Time magazine cover featuring a photo of President Zelenskyy alongside the word "Endgame."

Meanwhile, the Russian government announced that, following the "diesel export agreement" reached the previous day between President Putin and President Trump, it would partially lift its ban on domestic diesel exports that day, stating, "Russian oil companies will immediately begin supplying contracted diesel to foreign countries in coordination with the government."

Russia's TASS news agency reported, citing sources, that U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner could visit Moscow, Russia, within two weeks.

President Trump announced via social media platform Truth Social the previous day that he had agreed with President Putin for Russia to immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and global markets, followed by additional supplies, totaling 4.8 million tons.

When President Zelenskyy criticized this agreement, President Trump told reporters at the White House that day that President Zelenskyy could have ended the war multiple times but chose not to, stating, "I think it is time for Ukraine to have a new president."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.