"Dictator Without Elections": Trump's Major Assault on Zelensky
The U.S. had supplied financial aid and military equipment to Ukraine; however, since taking office, Trump has abruptly shifted policy to engage in discussions with Moscow.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator," deepening a personal divide that could significantly impact initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict initiated by Russia's invasion three years prior.
The U.S. had supplied financial aid and military equipment to Ukraine; however, since taking office, Trump has abruptly shifted policy to engage in discussions with Moscow.
"A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better act quickly, or he risks losing his country," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform about the Ukrainian leader, whose five-year term lapsed last year.
Ukrainian legislation does not mandate elections during a time of war.
On Tuesday, Trump conducted a press conference where he criticized Zelensky, echoed numerous Kremlin narratives concerning the conflict, and called for the cessation of hostilities.
In response, Zelensky accused Trump of yielding to Russian "disinformation," highlighting Trump’s assertion that Kyiv was responsible for "initiating" the war and reflecting Kremlin doubts regarding Zelensky's legitimacy.
"He refuses to hold elections, is performing poorly in Ukrainian polls, and his only strength was manipulating (Joe) Biden 'like a fiddle,'" Trump stated in his post on Truth Social about Zelensky.
"In the meantime, we are effectively negotiating a resolution to the war with Russia, which many concede can only be accomplished by 'TRUMP' and the Trump Administration," Trump remarked in the post.
Zelensky was elected in 2019 for a five-year duration, but has maintained his position under martial law enacted after the Russian invasion.
Despite a decline in his popularity, the proportion of Ukrainians who maintain trust in him has consistently stayed above 50 percent since the onset of the conflict, as reported by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
