The US President Trump questioned Zelenskyj on Tuesday, after the US and Russia held a high-level meeting and promised to re-establish diplomatic ties. Trump claimed that Ukraine's president was only supported by a few percent of the Ukrainian population, which is not true.
"A dictator who doesn't hold elections", he wrote on Truth Social and threatened Zelenskyj that he must act quickly, otherwise "he will have no country left".
Contrary to Trump's words, opinion polls have long shown strong support for Zelenskyj as Ukraine's leader in wartime, although it has decreased slightly as the war has dragged on and the country has become more pressured.
"War, not conflict"
In a survey published on Wednesday, 57 percent of Ukrainians in Ukraine said they have confidence in the president, and 37 percent said they do not.
So if someone wants to replace me here and now, it won't work, says Zelenskyj, adding that Trump's figures come from Russian propaganda.
Unfortunately, President Trump, with all respect for him as a leader of a nation we have great respect for, lives in this disinformation bubble.
In connection with the Russian-American meeting, the US representatives have consistently used the word "conflict" to describe what is happening. It is simply Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine, Zelenskyj objects.
It downplays it, he says.
Ukraine's president further notes that Trump's previous claims that the US is Ukraine's largest contributor are exaggerated. The US is the single country that has provided the most military support, but the European countries have provided more support overall.
The Envoy in Kyiv
In a settlement, Ukraine must be able to ensure that Russia is deterred from future invasion attempts, according to Zelenskyj. Either with the help of NATO or through a significant buildup of Ukraine's armed forces.
We want security guarantees this year. We want the war to end this year, he says.
The US special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has arrived in Ukraine. On the spot in Kyiv, he says that the US understands that Ukraine will need guarantees for its future security.
It's very clear to us, the importance of this nation's sovereignty and independence, says Kellogg, who says he will take his experiences back to the US to "make sure they do it right".
On May 21, 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyj's mandate formally expired after five years in office. The fact that a new presidential election was not held in the fall beforehand – during the ongoing invasion and partial occupation – is due to the fact that martial law is in effect in Ukraine.
Russia's propaganda media have since described it as Zelenskyj "defiantly" clinging to power. Vladimir Putin has in turn tried to suggest that Ukraine no longer has a legitimate leader, or that there would be legal obstacles to negotiations.
In Ukraine's constitution, it is stated that a presidential election shall be held on the last Sunday in October during a sitting president's fifth and final year in office. It is also stated that the president retains their powers until a newly elected president can take over. And according to martial law, it is not allowed to hold elections.
The constitution was adopted in 1996. The politicians who were involved in drafting the law have said that the latter formulation was added as a precaution – precisely because they had fears of a future Russian invasion.
