"This won’t work with Trump": Political analyst on Ukraine’s mistake in dealing with U.S. President

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.  

"Regarding yesterday’s case with all these rating comparisons, this is probably the best example to analyze what we did wrong in that situation. What Trump did is obvious. He blatantly lied multiple times in his speech, and it’s clear what triggered Zelenskyy’s ego—primarily the claim that his approval rating was at 4%, which is obviously false. However, responding so aggressively was a serious mistake. Yes, it’s important to react from a position of strength because Trump does not respect weakness. But there is a very fine line, and Ukrainian officials crossed it yesterday. For example, when—if I remember correctly—Fedorov posted a study showing that Zelenskyy’s approval rating in Ukraine was actually higher than Trump’s in the U.S.," he said.  

Maksym Nesvytailov pointed out that this is what offended Trump the most. In his view, finding a balance in communication with the new U.S. administration is crucial.  

"Even if it’s true, the problem is that you simply cannot deal with Donald Trump this way. This is what likely offended him the most, and that’s what led to his post on Truth Social, where he called Zelenskyy a dictator and so on. Which, frankly, is utter nonsense. Many European leaders also pointed this out when they spoke in support of Zelenskyy yesterday. We need to find a balance. In terms of presentation, I truly believe we should start adopting new visual communication strategies. I understand the logic behind Zelenskyy’s signature look—it’s about recognition and associations—but frankly, it’s become overused. This image has been worn out for a long time, and we need to transition to new communication methods, or at least diversify our approach," the international political analyst suggested.  

Background  

On Tuesday, February 18, U.S. President Donald Trump held a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, where he discussed the negotiations with Russia that took place in Saudi Arabia.

The White House chief also made a claim that the U.S. had provided Kyiv with approximately $350 billion in aid. He questioned where the funds had gone, stating that he had never seen a report detailing their allocation.

President Zelenskyy responded to Trump's demand for aid reimbursement, noting that the war has cost $320 billion, with $200 billion provided by the U.S. and the EU.

On February 19, Trump said that Zelenskyy refuses to hold elections and has very low ratings in Ukrainian polls. He called Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections.” At the same time, EU Ambassador Katarina Mathernova argues that elections in Ukraine can be held no earlier than six months after the end of martial law.