White House
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Trump announces Russian diesel deal with Putin, attacks Zelensky and says Ukraine should pick a new president
On 9 October 2026, US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and announced an agreement to supply between 300,000 and 3 million tons of Russian diesel fuel to US and world markets. Trump subsequently attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying "it is time for Ukraine to choose a new president" and accusing Zelensky of being able to end the war but choosing not to. Putin used the same call to blame Ukraine for derailing peace talks and to reaffirm Russia's maximalist war goals. The US Treasury issued a general license authorising Russian diesel transactions through 7 April 2027, while separate US–Ukraine–Europe talks in Miami ended early.