Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has responded sharply to comments made by US President Donald Trump, accusing him of being influenced by Russian “disinformation.” Trump had criticized Zelensky’s popularity, stating that he had a “four percent approval rating,” a claim Zelensky dismissed, attributing the figure to Russian propaganda.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelensky expressed respect for Trump as a leader but said that he was living in a “disinformation space,” influenced by misleading narratives from Moscow. Zelensky also pointed out that a recent poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed 57 percent of respondents trusted him, while only 37 percent did not, with the remaining undecided.
Zelensky vowed to share these results with Trump’s team to clarify the situation, emphasizing the importance of conveying the truth to the new US administration.
The comments came shortly after high-level talks between US and Russian foreign ministers in Saudi Arabia, marking the first face-to-face meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Zelensky also expressed concern that the US may be inadvertently helping Russian President Vladimir Putin break out of international isolation, which he believes has had no positive impact on Ukraine.
Despite these tensions, Zelensky reiterated his push for strong “security guarantees” from Western allies that could pave the way for a ceasefire and ultimately bring an end to the war, possibly by 2025.
