Trump is making false claims about Zelensky's popularity, say experts
After US President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky鈥檚 approval rating stands at a mere 4%, experts including Professor Olga Onuch of The University of 野狼社区 have pointed to their polling which puts his approval rating at 63% - making him the most popular politician in the country.
Trump鈥檚 remarks come at a critical moment when US and Russian officials are engaging in discussions - without Ukrainian representation - about ending the full-scale invasion. These talks are validating some of Ukrainians' worst fears: negotiations that concede to Vladimir Putin鈥檚 demands, undermining Ukraine鈥檚 sovereignty, and rewarding Russian aggression. Trump鈥檚 comments only add fuel to this narrative by attempting to delegitimise Ukraine鈥檚 leadership while strengthening Putin鈥檚 position.
Professor Onuch - alongside colleagues Professor Henry Hale of George Washington University, Volodymyr Kulyk of The Kyiv School of Economics and Gwendolyn Sasse of Humbolt University and ZOiS - has conducted extensive surveys in Ukraine since 2014. Their work, carried out in partnership with the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, offers a clear picture of Ukrainian public sentiment.
According to their latest findings, 63% of Ukrainians approve of Zelensky鈥檚 performance as president, a notable increase from the previous year. Additionally, large majorities view him as a patriot (74%), an intelligent and knowledgeable leader (73%), and a strong figure guiding the country through war (65%).
The notion that Zelensky is deeply unpopular is not only inaccurate - according to the researchers, it is a blatant attempt to distort reality in favour of Russia鈥檚 geopolitical ambitions. Trump鈥檚 suggestion that Ukraine should hold new elections ignores the fact that democratic processes in Ukraine remain intact, and that Zelensky would remain a frontrunner in the most likely electoral scenarios.
Among likely voters, he commands 32-41% support - far ahead of rivals like former President Petro Poroshenko and Dmytro Razumkov, who trail in the single digits. Zelensky's only strong contender would be Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former Commander in Chief and currently Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, but he has not publicly voiced any political ambitions.
Trump鈥檚 claim is not only factually incorrect, but also irresponsible and anti-democratic - Zelensky remains a fairly popular political leader in Ukraine. Spreading misinformation about his legitimacy directly aids Kremlin propaganda and undermines the Ukrainian people鈥檚 right to determine their own future.
鈥淯krainians will not react well to attempts to undermine their views and preferences and will rally behind their leaders," Olga added. "Opposition forces will also find a way to come together and show unity - everyone in Ukraine understands what is as stake - it is an existential matter. Ukrainians have been fighting to protect their independence for years, and they will not give up now.鈥�
鈥淏y inventing low approval ratings, Trump is preparing the ground for a call for quick elections in Ukraine - in line with Putin鈥榮 references to Zelensky as an illegitimate president and negotiation partner,鈥� said Gwendolyn Sasse. 鈥淥ur findings show that for Ukrainians, holding elections now is not a preferred priority.鈥�
鈥淲hen the war ends, we can expect normal political competition to reemerge if Ukraine remains free,鈥� added Henry Hale. 鈥淏ut with the Russian threat still looming large, Ukrainians continue to rally strongly around their leader.鈥�
As Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression and misinformation campaigns, the researchers say these must be called out and rejected. Their findings demonstrate that Ukraine still stands with Zelensky, and they say that efforts to delegitimise him only serve the interests of Vladimir Putin.