LONDON, February 20. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump's remarks about the need to hold presidential elections in Ukraine suggest that he wants to remove Vladimir Zelensky from power, according to a report by the British magazine The Economist, which cites anonymous sources.
"Mr. Trump appears to want to get rid of Mr. Zelensky, whom he has never liked and who he thinks is difficult," said one diplomat. "This is not about elections; it's about getting rid of Zelensky," the diplomat added.
The magazine indicates that while Ukraine could continue to resist Trump's proposal for peace talks with Russia, such a stance may ultimately lead to a weakening of Kiev's position over time. The report highlights that the Ukrainian army is facing "serious problems at the operational level and a notable absence of strategic planning," with front-line brigades running low on personnel - some down to less than a third of their regular size.
The Economist estimates that Trump has "many levers he might pull on Ukraine," including the unilateral lifting of sanctions on Russia and the potential cutting or cessation of military aid. Additionally, Trump may halt the flow of intelligence from the US and shut down Starlink, which serves as the backbone of Ukraine's battlefield communications.
Earlier, Trump stated that Ukraine needs to hold presidential elections if it wishes to secure a place at the negotiating table. The following day, he labeled Zelensky a dictator for refusing to hold elections, citing his extremely low approval ratings. Zelensky dismissed reports suggesting his ratings had dropped to 4% as misinformation and asserted that there was currently no possibility of replacing him as head of state.
Presidential elections in Ukraine were scheduled for March 2024, and Zelensky's official powers will expire after May 20. However, he has claimed that he is not concerned about issues of legitimacy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized that Zelensky's legitimacy has ended, making it crucial to identify who in Kiev can be trusted to engage in business negotiations that would lead to legally binding agreements. He explained that the current Ukrainian leadership was considered illegitimate, which posed a legal conflict that could undermine any outcomes from the talks.