SHANGHAI, February 24. /TASS/. The United States may pursue government change in Ukraine if its current leaders obstruct efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis in the country, Su Xiaohui, Deputy Director and Associate Research Fellow of the Department for American Studies at China Institute of International Studies, told TASS, commenting on US President Donald Trump's critical remarks on Vladimir Zelensky.
"The storm of criticism unleashed by the US president against Zelensky reflects Trump's intention to simplify the implementation of his policies," the political scientist explained. "From a diplomatic standpoint, if Ukraine becomes an obstacle, the United States may consider pushing for regime change, thereby making it easier to carry out its policies," she added.
Su Xiaohui stated that Washington is applying pressure on both Kiev and Brussels because the White House believes that the EU and Ukraine are not aligning with US policy. "Since the United States has made resetting US-Russian relations its top priority, the Ukrainian crisis should be addressed within this framework," she remarked.
However, Su Xiaohui noted that the European Union and Ukraine have attempted to sway US policy. Both Brussels and Kiev believe that Washington should consult with them before engaging in dialogue with Moscow. "This is clearly not in accordance with Trump’s views, as he thinks they are creating hurdles rather than assisting the United States," the expert elaborated.
On February 18, US President Donald Trump said that Zelensky’s approval rating had dropped to 4% and if Kiev wants a seat at the negotiating table, it must hold elections. In response, Zelensky said that Trump had been misled by Russia’s disinformation. After that, Trump once again pointed to Zelensky’s low ratings and called him a dictator for his refusal to hold elections.