Britain backs Zelenskyy after Trump calls for new Ukrainian leader
Britain has said it stands behind Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Donald Trump said Ukraine should choose a new leader capable of reaching a peace agreement. The comments have opened a fresh split between Washington and London over the war in Ukraine and the direction of Western policy. They also came as Zelenskyy criticised a US diesel purchase agreement, calling it a gift to Vladimir Putin.
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Wes Streeting, the defence secretary, said Ukrainians alone should decide who leads their country. He said there was no doubt that Russia was the aggressor and that Putin chose to start the war. Streeting added that Britain stood with Ukraine and with Zelenskyy, and said the priority was to maintain western unity over the conflict.
Trump made his remarks on Saturday, accusing Zelenskyy of failing to end the war and blaming Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for pushing up American diesel prices. Zelenskyy responded by condemning the diesel agreement, warning that higher Russian energy revenues would help finance the war against Ukraine. Streeting also suggested Trump was under domestic political pressure over fuel prices ahead of next month's midterm elections.
The dispute matters because energy prices and wartime diplomacy are now closely linked to politics in the United States and Europe. Trump has faced rising pressure over the economic fallout from the war with Iran, which has driven up global energy prices and added to inflation. Streeting said the cost of living was a major issue and that leaders were under pressure to ease energy prices, while Britain would prefer a stronger approach on sanctions.
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The comments also underline the continuing importance of Western unity as the war in Ukraine continues. Britain has repeatedly presented support for Kyiv as part of a broader effort to resist Russian aggression, while Zelenskyy remains dependent on allied military, financial and diplomatic backing. Any public disagreement between major partners can complicate efforts to sustain pressure on Moscow and keep support aligned.
What remains unclear is whether Trump's remarks will lead to any change in US policy or whether the diesel agreement will be altered. It is also not clear how far the political pressure over fuel prices will shape the next phase of debate in Washington. For now, the immediate issue is the public divergence over Zelenskyy's leadership and the wider question of how allies balance domestic politics with support for Ukraine.
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