DOMINANT ANGLE
Dakar is relaying the apparent rift between Washington and Kyiv: the Senegalese press is picking up on Trump's demand for a "new president" in Ukraine, backed by the agreement on Russian diesel.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Donald Trump, on Saturday at the White House: "I think it's time for Ukraine to have a new president" (PressAfrik).
- 02
He condemns Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, which would exacerbate the global diesel shortage, a day after a Moscow-Washington agreement on the purchase of Russian diesel (Dakaractu).
- 03
Kirill Dmitriev considers the comments "historic", while Andriy Sybiga asserts that Zelensky has the support of the Ukrainian people (Dakaractu).
ANALYSIS
Dakar, October 11, 2026. The Senegalese press, citing news agency dispatches, reports on Donald Trump's remarks against Volodymyr Zelensky. On Saturday, in front of the press at the White House, the American president stated that it was "time for Ukraine to have a new president". Dakaractu describes a "furious" Trump who "sharply" attacks his counterpart, accused of being unable to put an end to the war with Russia.
The two sites quote the same statement: "I suggest they get a new leader who can reach an agreement". PressAfrik details the criticism: Zelensky "could have ended this war many times, very many times, but he chooses not to". Donald Trump adds that if he had been president, the war "would never have started".
The second reason is energy-related. The American president condemns the Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, which would exacerbate the global diesel shortage and affect American farmers and livestock breeders. "He'd better stop", he warns, according to Dakaractu. PressAfrik cites his phrase: "do what you want, but don't touch diesel".
Dakaractu puts the statement into perspective following a "controversial agreement" between Moscow and Washington for the massive purchase of Russian diesel. The site specifies that fuel prices in the United States have soared since the outbreak of war against Iran in February, triggered by Donald Trump and Israel. The agreement is presented as a way to partially relieve consumers less than a month before crucial legislative elections.
Reactions follow. Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin's chief economic negotiator, describes the comments as "historic". Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga asserts that Zelensky "has the support of the Ukrainian people". British Prime Minister Andy Burnham expresses his "total solidarity" in a phone call. Dakaractu also recalls that Zelensky had denounced the agreement as a "weak decision" by the United States and a lucrative opportunity for Russia.
The coverage remains informative and without local editorializing: no Senegalese or African commentary is added, and the dimension of the rift between Washington and Kyiv emerges solely from the quotes.
