4 senior members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s workforce held secret discussions with political opponents of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Politico reported on March 6, citing three undisclosed Ukrainian lawmakers and a Republican overseas coverage knowledgeable.
Trump’s allies reportedly held talks with Yuliia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and head of the opposition Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) get together, and high-ranking members of the European Solidarity get together of ex-President Petro Poroshenko.
The information comes after Trump lambasted Zelensky as a “dictator without elections” and publicly berated him within the Oval Workplace on Feb. 28, underscoring the rising strain in opposition to the Ukrainian president from Washington.
Trump’s push for a fast settlement of the Russia-Ukraine battle noticed him undertake Moscow-aligned positions whereas pressuring Kyiv by chopping off crucial military aid and intelligence sharing. In latest weeks, the White Home has echoed the Kremlin’s false narrative about Zelensky’s illegitimacy, referring to the truth that Ukraine didn’t maintain elections final 12 months.
The Ukrainian Structure doesn’t allow elections below martial regulation, and critics identified difficulties in organizing elections throughout an all-out battle, corresponding to the potential of voting for front-line troopers and refugees.
Trump additionally falsely claimed final month that Zelensky’s approval ranking has dropped to 4%. Whereas Zelensky’s recognition was steadily declining all through 2024, the White Home fallout and mounting strain from Washington appear to have boosted his help.
In response to a survey by the British pollster Survation, carried out between Feb. 25 and 27, Zelensky leads within the polls with 44%. He’s adopted by former Commander-in-Chief and Ambassador to the U.Okay. Valerii Zaluhnyi — who has not publicly confirmed presidential ambitions — at 21%.
Poroshenko got here third with 10%, whereas Tymoshenko scored solely 6%, signalling slim probabilities of beating Zelensky within the election.
After the televised quarrel final week between Zelensky, Trump, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a number of high U.S. officers publicly suggested that Ukraine’s president ought to step down if he’s not “prepared for peace.”
Whereas Tymoshenko and Poroshenko publicly spoke out in opposition to holding elections below martial regulation, Politico reported that they’re positioning themselves as extra versatile companions for the U.S. than Zelensky. When approached by the outlet, their events didn’t verify talks with the U.S.
Kyiv, not Kiev — How Ukrainians reclaimed their capital’s name
For decades, if not more, English speakers the world over referred to Ukraine’s capital as Kiev, pronouncing it kee-yev. Few people knew they were using the Russian name for the city. The city is pronounced keeiv in Ukrainian and is transliterated correctly into English as Kyiv. In fact, until
