Trump’s 4% approval rating for Zelenskyy hoax; ‘dictator without elections’, Trump calls Zelenskyy; European leaders hold 2nd meeting to discuss Ukraine
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly denounced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections” amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
In a speech delivered in the US state of Florida on Wednesday, Trump said Zelenskyy “refuses to have elections” and has low support in the Ukrainian polls.
But people in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv have criticized the comment by US President Donald Trump about the approval rate for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump claimed on Tuesday that Zelenskyy’s approval rating was just 4 percent.
A woman in her 70s said she doesn’t believe it is 4 percent, and she supports Zelenskyy 100 percent as he has been able to unite her nation in this difficult time.
The woman said disinformation is rampant in Russia, suggesting that Trump may have obtained the figure from the Russian side.
A man in his 60s said the 4 percent approval rate is a hoax, adding that he did not vote for Zelenskyy in the last presidential election.
He said, “How can you be high with every city being demolished?”
Trump continued, “A dictator without elections, Zelenskyy better moves fast or he is not going to have a country left.” He added that the war is heading in the wrong direction.
And earlier, the US president had called Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections” in a social media post.
Trump’s comment sparked global backlash as the British Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that Prime Minister Keir Starmer “expressed his support for Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s democratically elected leader” when the two spoke by phone on Wednesday.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on social media that it is “simply wrong and dangerous” to deny Zelenskyy his democratic legitimacy.
A spokesperson for the United Nations told reporters that the Ukrainian president “sits in office after duly held elections.”
European and other leaders held their second round of talks regarding the Ukrainian situation on Wednesday.
France convened the meeting, with many participants attending online. They included the leaders of the Baltic states, Norway, Finland and NATO member Canada, who did not take part in the first meeting on Monday.
After the talks, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media post that the participants agreed to continue supporting Ukraine and take responsibility to ensure peace and security in Europe.
Macron stressed that Europe and US President Donald Trump share the objective of ending the fighting in Ukraine waged by Russia.
The French president said that efforts for peace will continue, based on principles that ensure Ukraine’s constant involvement and a lasting peace with strong and credible guarantees.
Macron noted the need for the nations to increase their spending and capabilities for defense and security. He added the decision on the plan will be made in the coming weeks.