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Zelenskyy Challenges Trump, Offers Elections Under 60-Day Ceasefire (Img: X)
Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected US President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine needs a new leader, insisting that the country’s people must decide who governs them. He also said Kyiv was prepared to hold fresh elections if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.
“First of all, with all due respect to President Trump, it is our society, our people, who must choose their leader," Zelenskyy told ABC News on Sunday. His remarks came a day after Trump criticised Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries, linking them to rising oil prices.
Zelenskyy said he had conveyed the proposal for elections to Trump’s team, making clear that a temporary halt to hostilities would be necessary.
“Please tell Putin give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections," he added.
The latest exchange has deepened tensions between the two leaders, following Trump’s announcement on Friday that he would waive sanctions on a large quantity of Russian diesel in an effort to bring down fuel prices ahead of the November US midterm elections. Zelenskyy described the decision as “weak", warning that easing restrictions could provide Moscow with additional revenue to sustain its war against Ukraine.
On Saturday, Trump urged Zelenskyy to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries and questioned whether Ukraine’s president was the right person to negotiate a settlement with Moscow.
“He better damn well stop," Trump told reporters outside the White House, referring to the attacks on Russian oil refineries. He also questioned Zelenskyy’s leadership, saying, “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal."
Trump’s comments reflected Washington’s concern over the impact of the conflict on energy prices in the United States. The administration has pressed Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian refineries, with fuel costs emerging as a significant concern ahead of the midterm elections.
Zelenskyy has resisted calls to stop the attacks unconditionally, arguing that Russia must first end its strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. He has maintained that Ukraine’s actions should be considered alongside Moscow’s continued attacks on power facilities.
“The real cause of the war in Europe is Russia, and Russia alone. It is already possible today to halt the attacks on our energy sector, but (Vladimir) Putin does not want to do so," he said on Saturday.
The Ukrainian president’s position is that any de-escalation must involve commitments from both sides rather than restrictions imposed solely on Kyiv. His proposed 60-day ceasefire would provide a window for Ukraine to organise elections while fighting is suspended.
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However, Trump’s demand that Ukraine stop targeting Russian refineries has not been made conditional on Moscow halting attacks on Ukrainian power plants, highlighting the differences between Washington and Kyiv over how to reduce hostilities.
Zelenskyy’s offer to hold elections under a 60-day truce places responsibility on Putin to agree to a temporary cessation of hostilities. His remarks also underscore his insistence that Ukraine’s political future must be determined by its own citizens, rather than through pressure from foreign leaders.
Also Read: Russia-Ukraine War: Trump Says Both Sides Agree to Halt Energy Infrastructure Attacks
With Trump pushing for a deal and criticising Kyiv’s military strategy, the dispute over elections, energy infrastructure and Russian fuel exports has added another layer of uncertainty to efforts to end the war.
