“Never liked him and finds him inconvenient”: Trump wants Zelensky removed from power, – The Economist

U.S. President Donald Trump wants Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky removed from power.

The British magazine The Economist reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to remove Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from power in Ukraine, citing harsh criticism from the White House directed at Kyiv.

According to the publication, Zelensky is losing popularity in his own country, has “isolated himself” within a circle of his advisors, and is “making mistakes.” The magazine notes that former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi is twice as popular as Zelensky and would defeat him in an election.

“It seems that Trump wants to get rid of Zelensky, whom he never liked and considers inconvenient. This is not about elections. This is about removing Zelensky,” one former Ukrainian politician told the publication.

Members of the ruling Servant of the People party speak of a decline in “morale” and say that “the doors in Washington are closing for them.” One opposition MP stated that the Verkhovna Rada might have to vote for a “humiliating ceasefire agreement.”

The publication points out that “many things are already developing according to the worst-case scenario for Ukraine.” Ukrainian elites fear that Trump’s team will push them toward a ceasefire without security guarantees and immediate elections, “which would destroy Ukraine’s unity.”

Since Trump is pushing for a proposal that is “unacceptable for Ukraine,” The Economist suggests that “Zelensky will have to delay the process and look for ways to maneuver.”

A Ukrainian official stated that the minimum acceptable conditions for Ukraine would be maintaining ties with Western armies (without joining NATO), avoiding major disarmament, continuing arms supplies and financial aid, and ensuring the presence of foreign peacekeepers. The number of peacekeepers is not as important as the mere fact of their presence.

However, the publication believes that as a means of pressuring Ukraine into an agreement, Trump will “almost certainly” cut or halt military aid, as well as disconnect the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) from intelligence data and Starlink. He may also lift sanctions on Russia.

At the same time, the conflict with Trump would be “psychologically difficult” for Zelensky, as the Ukrainian president is “increasingly isolating himself within a close circle of associates.” “There is no one who can tell him ‘no,’ and he is making mistakes,” one insider told The Economist.

“Many Ukrainians are also disappointed with their leader. Internal polls commissioned by The Economist show that while Zelensky remains the most popular politician in the country, he would lose a future election, receiving 30% of the vote compared to 65% for Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former Commander-in-Chief of the UAF, who has not yet entered politics. A public poll in January showed that trust in Zelensky had fallen to 52%—the lowest level since the start of the war (compared to 90% in 2022), although much higher than the 4% figure Trump claimed on February 18,” the magazine writes.

Earlier, Trump stated that Zelensky is “doing a terrible job.”