Trump has claimed that Ukraine should hold elections, asserting that the country has turned into a "massive demolition site" under President Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership. Speaking on Feb. 18, Trump alleged—without providing evidence—that Zelensky's approval rating had dropped to just 4%, contradicting polling data from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, which showed that 52% of Ukrainians still trust their president as of December 2024. Despite echoing Kremlin narratives that seek to delegitimize Zelensky's government, Trump insisted that his call for elections was his personal opinion, separate from Russian influence.

His remarks came on the same day that U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending the war, a meeting that excluded Ukraine. Zelensky, who had initially planned a visit to Saudi Arabia, postponed his trip to avoid appearing to legitimize the discussions. The talks resulted in an agreement to continue preparing negotiations on the war, with reports indicating that the U.S. and Russia are considering a three-phase peace plan involving a ceasefire, elections in Ukraine, and a final agreement.

At a press conference following the Riyadh talks, Trump claimed that Russia is willing to end the war, describing the ongoing conflict as "senseless" and emphasizing the high casualties among Russian, Ukrainian, and even North Korean soldiers fighting in Ukraine. He also stated that the war could have been resolved years ago by a "half-baked negotiator" without territorial losses. Trump did not directly criticize Russia’s role in the war but instead suggested that Ukraine’s leadership had "allowed the war to go on."

Trump also spoke about the potential deployment of European peacekeepers to Ukraine, expressing support for the idea as long as it does not involve American troops. He noted that France, the UK, and other European nations had proposed the idea and called it a "beautiful gesture." He reiterated that the U.S. would not send troops, as it is "very far away" from the conflict.

Trump downplayed Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian cities, arguing that if Moscow had intended to destroy Kyiv, it would have already done so. He asserted that Russia was attacking Ukrainian cities at only "20%" of its capacity and could fully "wipe them out" if it wanted to.

Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence agencies and Western allies see no indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin is genuinely seeking peace. Sources told NBC News that Putin still aims to take full control of Ukraine and believes he can outlast Kyiv and Europe. While Putin might agree to a temporary ceasefire to regroup and strengthen his forces, intelligence sources remain skeptical about any real peace efforts from the Kremlin. U.S. officials maintain that Putin has no plans to withdraw Russian troops or reposition military assets away from Ukraine.

Sources:

• The Kyiv Independent
• Ukrainska Pravda
• Reuters
• NBC News