Kemi Badenoch and Boris Johnson led a fierce backlash against Donald Trump today after the US president defended his 'sickening' Russian diesel deal and demanded Volodymyr Zelensky step down. 

Mr Trump recently agreed to buy 300,000 tons of Russian fuel, followed by 500,000 tons in November and a further one million after that. It prompted a furious response from Ukrainian president Mr Zelensky, who described it as a 'gift to Putin'.

Outside of the White House last night Mr Trump told reporters that 'it's time for Ukraine to get a new president'. He blamed Kyiv for the skyrocketing petrol and diesel prices – which had spiked following his own war with Iran – and warned that they 'better damn well stop' striking Russian oil infrastructure. 

Mr Trump concluded: 'I suggest they get a new leader who can ‌make a deal.'

Amid Ukrainian concerns that the US might halt intelligence sharing with them following the incendiary remarks, Prime Minister Andy Burnham called Mr Zelensky yesterday to reaffirm Britain's support. The two leaders are scheduled to hold an in-person meeting in the coming days.

In another twist tonight, Mr Trump said an 'energy ceasefire' had been agreed by 'both sides'. Mr Zelensky had offered to stop his strikes on refineries if Russia ended attacks on civilian power in Ukraine. 

Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said Mr Trump was 'wrong' to do a deal with Putin for diesel and 'wrong' to blame Mr Zelensky.   

She posted on X: 'Ukraine's freedom is not President Trump's to bargain away.

'He is wrong to ease sanctions on Russian diesel, wrong to blame President Zelensky for prolonging Putin's war and wrong to undermine a nation fighting for its right to exist.

'Russia is the aggressor. Always has been. Reward Russia and we should expect to see more aggression, including from other countries.

'We can also kiss goodbye to any just and lasting peace. This is why Conservatives have stood with Ukraine against Putin. Ukraine's future belongs to Ukrainians.

'They alone have the right to choose their president and we stand with President Zelensky because he fights not for himself, but for the survival of his country and his people.'

And former PM Mr Johnson – a strong supporter of Ukraine – posted on social media last night: 'It is sickening that the USA is now lifting sanctions on Russian fuel, and transparently ridiculous to blame Ukraine for the spike in prices that obviously began with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 

'Putin is murdering innocent Ukrainian civilians every day.  The Ukrainians are fighting for their lives. And yet the White House is apparently determined to force American drivers to bankroll Putin's slaughter. 

'It won't work and I doubt it will make much difference to the price of fuel. If we want Russian oil and gas back on the world market then let's end this war – with a free, sovereign and independent Ukraine.'

Giving broadcast interviews this morning, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said 'we stand with Ukraine.'

'It's not the first time we've seen these sorts of tensions between Kyiv and Washington... our role, our responsibility, in this situation is to try to bring our friends back together,' he told Sky News.

Mr Streeting suggested Mr Trump was grappling with 'political reality' of domestic elections. 'Let's be candid about this: midterms are coming up, cost of living is an issue,' he said.

'No doubt President Trump is feeling the same pressure that lots of leaders are facing in terms of wanting to ease cost-of-living pressures, energy prices.

'I think it's just a political reality, isn't it? That cost of living is high on the public's agenda in this country, elsewhere, and no doubt President Trump wants to respond to that.

'We would obviously prefer a stronger approach on sanctions.'

Mr Streeting said people often 'talk down' the US contribution to Ukrainian defence, but 'I've found the US administration to be highly engaged on Ukraine.'

Mr Trump has been facing increasing backlash from US voters over the war with Iran, which has helped diesel prices soar from $3.68 per gallon a year ago to $6.28 by Friday.

The Middle East chaos looks to be spreading again after a Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia overnight. 

The president has been desperately looking for ways to reduce domestic prices, including threatening to restrict exports to G7 allies.    

Mr Trump sealed the agreement with the Russian dictator after Mr Zelensky did not agree to his demands to stop strikes on oil infrastructure.

Ukraine's success at targeting the industry in Russia has caused a crisis for Putin, but the oil-rich nation does still have surplus diesel.

The agreement will see almost two million tons of Russian supplies imported to the US. 

In the immediate aftermath of the Trump-Putin call, the Kremlin staged a new strike on sleeping Ukrainian civilians in Zaporizhzhia killing seven including at least three children, all girls, with ten wounded and 16 'missing'.

It brings the total to almost 90 civilians killed by Russia in three days.

The diesel pact between Mr Trump and Putin stunned Kyiv, with the Ukrainian leader accusing the US president of 'weakness' by caving to Russia.

The announcement came despite Mr Trump signing a sweeping Russia sanctions law just last month aimed at clamping down on the oil and gas revenues that fuel Putin's war against Ukraine.

A Downing Street spokesman said last night: 'The Prime Minister spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine today.

'The Prime Minister began by recognising the last 24 hours had been difficult for Ukraine and reiterated his complete solidarity.

'The two leaders next discussed the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia: the Prime Minister made it clear that the UK would continue to strengthen its sanctions on Russia and to take further action to constrain the Russian war machine, building on new UK designations against Russian targets announced this week.

'They underlined that Russia should agree to an immediate energy ceasefire, ending its brutal strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and its attacks on shipping in the Black Sea. This would immediately release more energy and food supplies into the global market.

'The two leaders agreed to meet in person in the coming days to continue their discussion.'