Trump makes mid-terms gamble by siding with Putin
LBC
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Donald Trump has said “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president”, in a scathing critique of Volodymyr Zelenskyy over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, accusing him of failing to end the war.
Leigh Turner, a former British Ambassador to Ukraine, joins Matthew Wright to give his take on the latest development (02:18).
The US President said Kyiv's strikes were driving up global fuel prices and causing “problems for the world”.
Speaking at the White House on Saturday, he said: “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal.”
“He’d better damn well stop,” he said. “He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel because Russia supplies a large portion of the diesel fuel throughout the world."
"And we told them: ‘Do whatever you want, but don’t hit the diesel fuel, because this is a big problem, a big shortage.
"And what does he do? He goes and hits the diesel fuel," he went on.
This comes after Trump announced he would buy more than one million tonnes of diesel from Russia as part of a deal with Vladimir Putin, amid political pressure over rising fuel prices ahead of next month’s US midterm elections.
Mr Trump said Moscow would immediately supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and a further one million tonnes “immediately thereafter”.
He said Russia would then provide another three million tonnes within a short period.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously criticised Donald Trump's announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel into the US, calling it "an investment in a war that must be ended."
The agreement was announced while a Ukrainian delegation was in the US to discuss how to seek a resolution of the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy dismissed the accord as "a weak decision on the part of strong partners".
"Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilised world," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
"Russia will 'repay' the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged.
"What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis," Zelenskyy said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has since spoken with Mr Zelenskyy and reiterated his “complete solidarity” with Ukraine, Downing Street said.
A spokesperson said Mr Burnham recognised that the previous 24 hours had been “difficult for Ukraine”.
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20 Comments
The US imports 60% of its crude oil from Canada and Trump is in a trade war with them, the issue is insufficient refineries within the US.
Trump makes mid-terms gamble by siding with Putin
LBC
157,293 views
Donald Trump has said “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president”, in a scathing critique of Volodymyr Zelenskyy over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, accusing him of failing to end the war.
Leigh Turner, a former British Ambassador to Ukraine, joins Matthew Wright to give his take on the latest development (02:18).
The US President said Kyiv's strikes were driving up global fuel prices and causing “problems for the world”.
Speaking at the White House on Saturday, he said: “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal.”
“He’d better damn well stop,” he said. “He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel because Russia supplies a large portion of the diesel fuel throughout the world."
"And we told them: ‘Do whatever you want, but don’t hit the diesel fuel, because this is a big problem, a big shortage.
"And what does he do? He goes and hits the diesel fuel," he went on.
This comes after Trump announced he would buy more than one million tonnes of diesel from Russia as part of a deal with Vladimir Putin, amid political pressure over rising fuel prices ahead of next month’s US midterm elections.
Mr Trump said Moscow would immediately supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and a further one million tonnes “immediately thereafter”.
He said Russia would then provide another three million tonnes within a short period.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously criticised Donald Trump's announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel into the US, calling it "an investment in a war that must be ended."
The agreement was announced while a Ukrainian delegation was in the US to discuss how to seek a resolution of the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy dismissed the accord as "a weak decision on the part of strong partners".
"Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilised world," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
"Russia will 'repay' the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged.
"What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis," Zelenskyy said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has since spoken with Mr Zelenskyy and reiterated his “complete solidarity” with Ukraine, Downing Street said.
A spokesperson said Mr Burnham recognised that the previous 24 hours had been “difficult for Ukraine”.
Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewl...
#politics #trump #LBC
LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK.
Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/
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