06.03.2025 18:31
Following the discussion between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, it was claimed that Trump's allies met with a prominent figure from the Ukrainian opposition, specifically from the party of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and former President Petro Poroshenko.
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US President Donald Trump, who is in discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is seeking alternatives in Ukraine.
MET WITH ZELENSKY'S POLITICAL OPPONENTS
According to a report by the US-based media outlet Politico, US officials met with a senior official from the party of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and former President Petro Poroshenko. The focus of the meeting was whether a presidential election could be held urgently in Ukraine.
TRUMP'S TEAM IS CONFIDENT ZELENSKY WILL LOSE THE ELECTIONS
Trump's close working team argues that Zelensky will lose the elections due to war and corruption, while polls indicate that Zelensky, whose votes have been declining for years, has seen a resurgence following last week's discussion in the Oval Office. While elections cannot be held due to the current state of emergency in Ukraine, Trump accuses Zelensky of being an "unelected dictator."
AFTER THE DISCUSSION, ZELENSKY SAW A RESURGENCE IN POLLS
Following the discussion at the White House, a poll conducted this week by the British polling company Survation revealed that 44% of participants stated they would support Zelensky for the presidency. In the poll, Zelensky's closest rival, currently Ukraine's Ambassador to London, Valery Zaluzhny, emerged with more than a 20-point lead, while Poroshenko received 10% and Tymoshenko only 5.7% support.
"EASIER TO WORK WITH PEOPLE"
A Republican foreign policy expert, speaking on condition of anonymity to Politico, claimed that former President Petro Poroshenko and Tymoshenko met with Trump's team and positioned themselves as "easier to work with people." The European Solidarity Party of Poroshenko, which Politico contacted for comments, stated, "Our rhetoric is not to force elections, but to ensure free and fair competitive elections after the war in our country. It is also reasonable that any contact with (Trump) would include Poroshenko and the European Solidarity Party's vision for ending the war with a fair, comprehensive, and lasting peace and negotiations."
"UKRAINIAN ELITES UNDERSTAND VERY WELL THAT UKRAINE WILL BE DEFEATED WITHOUT US SUPPORT"
Ruslan Bortnik, Director of the Ukrainian Political Institute, indicated that some political groups in Ukraine have begun to mobilize, stating, "They are trying to show that they are willing to establish informal connections or use their connections with the Republican Party or Trump's circle and work with Washington." Bortnik conveyed that "Ukrainian elites" understand very well that Ukraine will be defeated without US support.
"HE WANTS TO ELIMINATE ZELENSKY BECAUSE HE IS A SYMBOL OF OUR RESISTANCE"
Oleksandr Merezhko, Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, indicated in a statement to Politico that Trump is not actually concerned about whether elections will take place in Ukraine, stating, "The election is (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's narrative, his target. Its sole purpose is to weaken us from within. He wants to eliminate Zelensky because he is a symbol of our resistance."
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