Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky offers energy truce to Putin after furious row with Trump over diesel deal

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has restated ​Berlin’s support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after President Donald Trump’s call for his removal.

Wadephul said Germany remained by the side of Ukraine and its government “and fully support the President as he carries out his difficult ⁠duties.”

The comments, at a ​leadership meeting ⁠of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), followed Trump’s call on Saturday for Zelensky to ⁠be replaced and underlined Berlin’s growing rift with Washington.

Trump, ​who ⁠last week announced a ‌diesel supply deal with Russia, called for Ukraine to replace Zelensky and railed against Ukraine’s attacks on Russian ‌oil infrastructure.

Donald Trump’s new deal with Russia to boost diesel supply over the next few months is unlikely to make a dent in high prices, experts have said.

The US president said he had made an agreement with Vladimir Putin to increase fuel supplies to the US and global markets, saying the move would help bring down costs for businesses and consumers.

Ukraine is ready to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow stops striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday.

Any agreement would require “real guarantees”, Zelensky said, adding: “It’s possible to stop strikes on energy infrastructure as early as today, but Putin does not want to do so.”

Trump on Saturday blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for pushing up US diesel prices, saying Zelensky had “better d**n well stop”.

He also suggested Ukraine “get a new leader who can make a deal” with Moscow.

Zelensky said he would continue discussions with European leaders on Sunday. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, is due to attend an EU foreign affairs meeting on Monday, where ministers are expected to discuss further sanctions on Russia and Ukraine’s EU accession.

Germany said on Saturday it would maintain sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, after US president Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily ease restrictions on Russian fuel exports.

“The federal government has taken note of the US decision relating to Russian diesel deliveries,” government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said.

“The federal government remains committed to the decisions on sanctions against Russia and is working with its European partners on further sanctions,” Kornelius said, adding that Germany’s support for Ukraine remained unchanged and diplomatic efforts to end the war would continue.

Trump announced on Friday that Russia had agreed to supply diesel to global markets in an effort to bring down fuel prices. His administration temporarily lifted US sanctions on Russian fuel, which were designed to deprive Moscow of revenue for its war effort.

Germany is Ukraine’s largest European donor. Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv last weekend and has repeatedly pledged to maintain Berlin’s support.

A delegation of Ukrainian officials headed home on Saturday after talks with US and European representatives in Miami aimed at developing proposals to end Russia’s war in Ukraine ended earlier than planned.

The discussions on Friday brought together Ukraine’s negotiating team, led by presidential office chief Kyrylo Budanov, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and European representatives.

US envoy Witkoff described the meeting as “constructive”, but no breakthrough or ceasefire agreement was announced. The talks covered security guarantees for Ukraine, post-war reconstruction, territorial questions and measures to protect energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

On Friday, Trump announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports.

Ukraine’s presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said the first day had run longer than expected and had taken on “a slightly different flavour”. The team was expected to brief president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, while he continued consultations with European leaders.

British prime minister Andy Burnham has pledged to strengthen sanctions on Russia after telling Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that the UK was in “complete solidarity” with Ukraine, following Donald Trump’s call for Kyiv to replace its leader.

Burnham told Zelensky he recognised that “the past 24 hours had been difficult for Ukraine”, according to a Downing Street readout of their call on Saturday.

The two leaders discussed “the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia”, with Burnham making clear that the UK “would continue to strengthen its sanctions on Russia and to take further action to constrain the Russian war machine”.

They agreed to meet in person in the coming days, Downing Street said.

Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for pushing up global diesel prices and demanded that Zelensky stop striking them.

The agreement to buy diesel from Russia will make the American president look weak and fail to cut the price at the pumps

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has defended President Volodymyr Zelensky after Donald Trump called for Ukraine to elect a new leader.

“President Zelensky leads our nation in a time of war — a war for independence, freedom, and dignity,” Sybiha wrote on X on Saturday. “He has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide. Statements from abroad only confirm that he is doing his job well. He deserves support.”

Trump called for Zelensky to be replaced on Saturday, accusing the Ukrainian president of failing to reach a deal to end the war with Russia.