A Ukrainian official stated that Zelensky has the “worldview of a schoolboy” – Der Spiegel

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has a “schoolboy mentality”.

This information reported according to a high-ranking Ukrainian official who spoke to Der Spiegel on condition of anonymity.

“He still has the mindset of a schoolboy,” the source stated.

Another source, who worked closely with Zelensky before the war, agreed.

“Zelensky is like a child. He thinks that if you really want something and truly believe in it, you will get it,” the source said.

A former member of Zelensky’s team recalled his campaign promises to end the war, stating, “Zelensky wasn’t just speaking like a populist—he genuinely believed what he was saying.”

The publication notes that Zelensky’s past remarks about resolving the conflict sound similar to recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the war in Ukraine:

“As if the solution was actually simple and previous officials were just too stupid, cowardly, or hesitant to strike a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

“For someone who spent years making jokes about politicians on television, Zelensky was surprisingly uninformed about politics,” Der Spiegel writes.

Meanwhile, Western media remain divided over whether the reported conflict between Zelensky and Trump was staged or happened spontaneously.

Shortly before the war, Ukrainian comedian and Kvartal 95 studio actor Yuriy Velikiy stated that Zelensky has become highly sensitive to criticism since becoming president.