Four senior members of Donald Trump’s inner circle have engaged in secret discussions with Ukrainian political opponents of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a report published by Politico on 6 March.
The talks involved former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and representatives from ex-President Petro Poroshenko’s party, with discussions focusing on the possibility of holding early presidential elections in Ukraine, according to three Ukrainian parliamentarians and a US Republican foreign policy expert cited in the report.
These discussions coincides with mounting pressure from Washington on Zelenskyy. Trump has labeled the Ukrainian leader a “dictator without elections” and suggested he “won’t be around very long” if progress isn’t made on a peace deal satisfactory to the US president.
Last week’s confrontation at the White House, where Zelenskyy was reportedly berated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, has intensified speculation about US efforts to sideline the Ukrainian president.
The Trump administration has paused military aid to Ukraine, with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz saying that Washington needs “a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians, and end this war.”
“Poroshenko’s people and Yulia, they’re all talking to Trump World, positioning themselves as people who would be easier to work with. And people who would consent to many of the things that Zelenskyy is not agreeing to,” a top Republican foreign policy expert told Politico.
Both Tymoshenko and Poroshenko released statements defending their diplomatic activities after the Politico’s report.
“With our American partners we work publicly and transparently to maintain bipartisan support for Ukraine,” Poroshenko said, claiming that his team are “categorically against holding elections during the war.”
Tymoshenko said that “Batkivshchyna team is negotiating with all our allies who can help ensure a just peace as soon as possible.” She also stated on Facebook that there could “be no question of holding any elections in Ukraine.”
“Ukraine, and President Zelenskyy has clearly said this, is ready for negotiations to end the war under the strong leadership of President Trump,” Tymoshenko said.
Despite Trump’s claims that Zelensky’s approval rating has dropped to 4%, Ukraine’s President maintains a substantial lead over potential rivals. A recent survey by British pollster Survation showed 44% would back Zelenskyy for the presidency, with his nearest competitor, former army commander Valery Zaluzhnyi, trailing by more than 20% points.
Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Ukraine’s parliament, told Politico’s Power Play podcast that elections during wartime would benefit Moscow.
“Trump is being used by Putin to impose elections on Ukraine with only one purpose, to undermine us from within. He wants to remove Zelenskyy because he is a symbol of our resistance,” he said.
Political analyst Ruslan Bortnik told Politico that Ukrainian political factions are attempting to establish connections with Trump’s team. “The elites are feeling very disoriented and shocked because they understand very clearly that without United States support, Ukraine will be defeated,” Bortnik said.
Read also:
- US pushes Ukraine toward capitulation as Trump and Putin find common ground, expert says
- US intelligence sharing freeze deprives Ukraine of Russian strikes warning, NYT reports
- “Defend yourself by yourself.” Telegraph predicts Zelenskyy will leave EU summit with warm words, not troops
