Oct. 14, 2026 5 AM PT
To the editor: Ukraine should get a new president? No, we should (“Trump says Ukraine should get a new president as he blames Zelensky for U.S. diesel prices,” Oct. 10). President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky both had television careers before entering politics, but that’s where their similarities end.
Zelensky builds European coalitions. Trump alienates allies. Zelensky governs in a state of war. Trump can barely govern a Congress his party controls. Zelensky dodges Russian bombs. Trump dodges his own bombs.
Trump blames Zelensky for the price of diesel. Russian diesel has been sanctioned since 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The Russian invasion was supposed to be over in a few weeks. Trump ordered an attack on Iran on Feb. 28. The U.S. war was supposed to be over in a few weeks.
Zelensky has fought a superpower for almost five years. Trump is turning Iran into a Middle Eastern superpower as it withstands the powerful U.S. military for more than seven months.
Zelensky is not responsible for high diesel prices. Trump is responsible for high diesel prices for bungling the Strait of Hormuz’s oil flow to the world.
Zelensky has refused to make a peace deal with Russia without protection from another invasion. Trump makes a deal with Russia to buy diesel that will fuel the war against Ukraine. So, which country needs a new president?
Bill Brock, Agoura Hills
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To the editor: If I were a resident of Ukraine, there is no president I would rather have than Zelensky. He is doing everything he can to protect the lives of his fellow citizens. Trump’s comments confirm that the only thing that matters to him is that they have a president who wants to please Trump and, therefore, the lives and wishes of Ukrainians don’t matter to Trump. What kind of world are we living in?
Steve Wood, Ventura
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To the editor: I can’t believe that President Trump requested that Ukraine stop attacking Russian oil refineries (“The Kremlin relishes in the U.S.-Russia diesel deal and Trump’s criticism of Zelensky,” Oct. 12)! Ukraine is defending itself against an invading aggressor and should use all means available to protect itself, including bombing its enemies’ refineries. In fact, Ukraine is in the same position as our Founding Fathers in the 18th century, defending our nascent country against the British to win freedom and self-determination. Freedom and self-determination are clearly what the Ukrainians are fighting for, and the U.S. should support them in this.
According to the article, Trump apparently casted Zelensky as “an obstacle to peace,” which is laughable. The only “obstacle to peace” is Putin, the invader and aggressor.
Jill Anderson, Pismo Beach