Russian President Vladimir Putin has asserted that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has “absolutely no chance” of winning a fair election due to declining approval ratings and internal political turmoil in Ukraine. Speaking on February 24 in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, Putin highlighted the growing dissatisfaction within Ukraine’s military and society, positioning Zelensky as a “toxic” figure whose leadership has resulted in “catastrophic losses.”

This statement comes as Zelensky’s five-year presidential term expired in May 2024, yet he has postponed elections citing martial law imposed after Russia’s military intervention. The issue of Zelensky’s popularity gained attention after US President Donald Trump referred to him as a “dictator without elections” and claimed that Zelensky’s approval rating had plummeted to just 4%.

Putin suggested that Zelensky’s chances of reelection would be virtually nonexistent if General Valery Zaluzhny, the former commander of Ukraine’s armed forces, were to run with backing from other political figures. “They are equal to zero. Unless, of course, something is grossly rigged, but this is also bad for him – it will be very noticeable,” Putin stated, indicating that any manipulation of the electoral process would further damage Zelensky’s legitimacy.

The Russian president pointed to Zelensky’s military decisions as a primary source of his declining popularity. According to Putin, Zelensky has issued “absurd........

© Blitz