Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back against Donald Trump’s assertion that his approval rating had plummeted to 4%, dismissing it as Russian disinformation.
Citing a recent poll from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, he argued that 57% of Ukrainians still support his leadership, an increase from the previous month.
Trump’s comments came during a press conference following high-level U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh, where he criticized Ukraine’s situation and pointed out that elections haven’t been held due to martial law. Zelensky, however, insisted that elections are neither feasible nor desirable during wartime, claiming that if one were held, he’d win a second term—despite polls showing retired General Valery Zaluzhny as a likely frontrunner.
Zelensky also challenged Trump’s special envoy, Keith Kellogg, to gauge public sentiment firsthand in Kyiv. Meanwhile, Moscow has questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, warning that any agreements he signs could be disputed. Though Russia has signaled openness to negotiations, officials remain skeptical about his ability to deliver a lasting peace deal.
