WASHINGTON: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday pushed back against US counterpart Donald Trump's call for him to be replaced, but said his country could hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.
Tensions have flared once again between the two leaders after Trump on Friday announced he would waive sanctions on a large quantity of Russian diesel to help lower fuel prices ahead of the November US midterm elections.
On Saturday, Trump lashed out at Zelensky over Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries, arguing they have contributed to soaring diesel prices, and called for him to be replaced by a leader that will settle the war.
"First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it's up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader," Zelensky told ABC News in a televised interview on Sunday.
Zelensky said he told Trump's team that if they really wanted Ukraine to hold elections – their first since Russia's invasion began in 2022 – "please tell Putin to give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organise elections."
Trump's move to temporarily waive Russian oil sanctions has sparked backlash not only from Ukraine but also from many US allies in Europe and even from some in his own Republican Party.
Zelensky noted the necessity of continued US support and said he hoped the latest dispute would not hurt the "unity" among Ukraine's allies.
"To stop Putin – and I think this is the main goal, to stop him, this is the main deal, to stop this war ... we count on American support," he told ABC News.
"Then, and of course, we count on our European partners, and I hope that we will save this unity, Europe and the US," he added, noting it was "really not simple."
He also reiterated that Ukraine was ready for a ceasefire, including just on energy infrastructure, if Russia agreed.
Russia's heavy attacks this week showed it does not "feel real pressure" to end the war, he said.
"This week was very difficult for us, not only geopolitically. First of all, because of massive attacks, Russian attacks on our civilian infrastructure," he said.
"So they attacked 196 times our energy sector, it's only electricity, plus 20 times gas and oil, and they killed, for now, 153 civilians," Zelensky said.