Trump claims Zelenskyy's approval rating in Ukraine dropped to 4%, Zelenskyy responds

According to Donald Trump, the negotiations between Russia and the U.S. in Saudi Arabia were "very good."  

"Russia wants to do something, they want to stop the savage barbarism that’s going on there. Soldiers are being killed by the thousands on a weekly basis," the American leader stated.  

During the press conference, Trump expressed confidence in his ability to end the war.  

“We have a situation where we hadn't had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law—essentially martial law in Ukraine—where the leader in Ukraine, I mean, I hate to say it, but he's down at a 4% approval rating, and where a country has been blown to smithereens. You've got most of the cities laying on their sides… I would say that, you know, when they want a seat at the [negotiation] table, you could say the people have to... wouldn't the people of Ukraine have to say, like, you know, it's been a long time since we've had an election? That's not a Russia thing,” Trump said.

Zelenskyy’s Response  

During a press conference with journalists, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Trump’s claim about a 4% approval rating among Ukrainians.  

"If someone wants to replace me right now, it simply won’t work," Zelenskyy emphasized.  

The president also dismissed Trump's statement as Russian disinformation.  

"We understand this, and we have evidence that these numbers are being discussed between America and Russia. Unfortunately, President Trump — whom we respect as a leader of a nation we greatly admire — is living in a space of disinformation," Zelenskyy added.

U.S.-Russia Talks in Saudi Arabia on February 18  

On February 18, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held nearly five-hour-long talks in the Saudi capital.  

Following the meeting, Rubio stated that all parties must make concessions to end the war in Ukraine but emphasized that defining them in advance would be a mistake. He also announced that the U.S. and Russia agreed to restore their embassies’ full staff in Washington and Moscow to establish “missions for supporting peace negotiations on Ukraine, bilateral relations, and broader cooperation.”  

At the same time, Fox News journalist Jacqui Heinrich reported that the United States and Russia are allegedly proposing a three-stage peace plan, which, in particular, includes holding presidential elections in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh, emphasizing that Kyiv will not accept Russia’s ultimatums.