U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 19, arguing that his public comments about U.S. President Donald Trump were counterproductive. In an interview with the DailyMail, Vance explained that attacking Trump publicly would only harm Ukraine’s interests. “The idea that Zelensky is going to change the president’s mind by badmouthing him in public media — everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration,” Vance stated.
The vice president's remarks came in response to Zelensky’s dismissal of Trump’s claim that his popularity among Ukrainians had dropped to just 4%. Zelensky stated that Trump had been misled by Russian disinformation. Trump had used this assertion to argue that Ukraine should hold elections soon, implying that Zelensky's leadership was causing political instability.
However, Vance rejected this idea, asserting that Russian narratives had not influenced Trump’s stance on Ukraine. “Donald Trump is well-versed in geopolitics and has held a strong stance on the matter for a long time,” he said.
Vance further suggested that Zelensky had been given "bad advice" regarding navigating relations with the Trump administration. He implied that Zelensky had been led to believe he could do no wrong for the past three years, which might have skewed his approach. “We love the Ukrainian people.
We admire the bravery of the soldiers, but we think that this war needs to come to a rapid close,” Vance added, emphasizing his belief that the war should be brought to an end quickly.
This criticism follows a recent post by Trump on Truth Social, in which he labeled Zelensky a “dictator” for refusing to hold elections. Trump argued that elections in Ukraine would help resolve the conflict. However, this claim overlooks the fact that Ukraine’s constitution forbids elections during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia’s invasion in 2022. Trump’s suggestion that the war might be prolonged due to Zelensky’s leadership has raised concerns among critics, who view it as an oversimplification of the complex geopolitical situation.
Meanwhile, a February 19 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) revealed that 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelensky, showing a five-point increase from December. Despite ongoing international criticism, Zelensky’s approval ratings remain strong among the Ukrainian public.
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