In a major shift in rhetoric on the Ukraine conflict, US President Donald Trump has stated that Ukraine may have to hold new elections, arguing that its leader, Vladimir Zelensky, has become widely unpopular. Trump’s remarks came shortly after US and Russian negotiators met in Riyadh to discuss possible ways to end the war-marking the first such meeting since former President Joe Biden severed most official contact with Moscow in 2022.

Speaking to reporters on February 18, Trump suggested that Zelensky’s leadership is facing severe domestic challenges, pointing to a supposed collapse in public support. “The leader in Ukraine – I hate to say it – but he’s down at a 4% approval rating,” Trump claimed.

While Trump’s assertion of a 4% approval rating is unverified, it underscores a growing narrative of dissatisfaction with Zelensky’s leadership. A more widely recognized Socis poll from January indicated that 40% of Ukrainians still have confidence in Zelensky, while his former top general, Valery Zaluzhny, enjoyed significantly higher trust at 72%.

Trump framed the issue as one of democratic legitimacy, questioning whether the Ukrainian people should have the opportunity to elect a new leader amid ongoing military and economic struggles. “When they want a seat at the [negotiating] table, you could say – wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, ‘It’s been a long time since we’ve had an election,’” he remarked. He insisted that this position is not one pushed by Russia but rather by the broader international community.

The question of Zelensky’s legitimacy has become a contentious issue in the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has........

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