Yesterday, U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff reported on “constructive” discussions with a delegation from Kiev. Today, President Donald Trump called for their boss, Volodymyr Zelensky, to be ousted.

Witkoff posted on X that the U.S.-Ukrainian talks in Miami had already included representatives of the European Commission, the E3 (France, Germany, UK), and NATO, and had been “constructive discussions on potential avenues to de-escalate and conclude the war with Russia ahead of winter and advance efforts toward a durable and lasting peace.” Judging by the statements beforehand by Zelensky, acting as President of Ukraine, the Ukrainian delegation intended to demand harsher sanctions pressure on Russia and new joint production schemes for weapons for Kiev. Office of the President head Kyrylo Budanov, parliamentary leader of Zelensky’s party David Arakhamia, and Foreign Intelligence Service head Rustem Umerov were in the Ukrainian delegation.

While the talks went on, however, news broke that President Putin of Russia and U.S. President Trump had spoken by phone, and that Trump had said he would ease sanctions to allow Russia to export diesel fuel to world markets. The planned second day of the Miami talks, which was to have had more European participation, was promptly called off by the Ukrainian side.

Zelensky unleashed a tirade against Trump. In a 15-minute phone interview with Axios (published only in fragments), he called Trump’s relaxation of sanctions to allow diesel sales “not fair and not honest,” and “like a happy birthday present for Putin.” Today Zelensky rushed to have phone consultations with President Macron of France, UK Prime Minister Burnham, and other Europeans, to renew his sanctions and weapons demands.