Trump calls for Zelenskyy to be replaced as the diesel sanctions waiver runs to 2027

Washington has lifted its Russian diesel sanctions until 7 April 2027, following the Trump and Putin call⁶. Trump called on Saturday for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with someone willing to make a deal with Russia to end the war². He also warned that Zelenskyy had better damn well stop attacks on Russian oil refineries⁷, and blamed him for US diesel prices⁸.

The background is one sentence: Trump announced on Friday a deal with Russia to lift sanctions and allow Russian diesel exports to the United States and the global energy market².

Zelenskyy, who was surprised by a deal made behind Ukraine’s back, called it not fair and not honest², and accused Trump of a smokescreen oil deal¹. Ukraine has described the easing of sanctions on Russian oil as gifts to Putin⁹.

Why it matters to investors

The waiver has a date on it, which makes it a policy with an expiry rather than an open channel: the suspension runs to 7 April 2027⁶. Trump claimed the arrangement would ease affordability pressures⁹.

The dispute behind it is about the refineries that process those barrels. According to reporting attributed to Axios, Zelenskyy told Trump and his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that Ukraine was ready to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries if Russia met a condition the excerpts cut off^3,4. The same reporting says Trump pressed Ukraine to stop the strikes unilaterally⁴.

Talks have not settled it. The White House announced the agreement while negotiations with Ukraine were being held in Miami¹, and those talks ended earlier than planned, with sources quoted as saying there was no second day⁵.

What to watch

Watch whether barrels actually move. The sanctions suspension permits the exports, but the reporting describes an agreement announced by the White House, with Putin saying separately that he had informed Trump of his position⁹.

Watch the rupture with Kyiv. One account calls this the most serious crisis between the two leaders since their February 2025 meeting broke down in front of cameras².

And watch the refinery strikes themselves, since they are the hinge: Trump has tied US diesel prices to them⁸, while Ukraine has tied any halt to Russian behaviour³.