Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of being ensnared in a “disinformation bubble” and dismissed Trump’s false claim that Zelenskiy’s popularity rating was at a mere 4%.
Zelenskiy, whose trust rating stands at 57% according to a Kyiv pollster, asserted that attempts to replace him would not succeed. This statement came a day after Trump accused Zelenskiy of initiating the war with Russia and claimed that the Ukrainian leader was broadly unpopular among his people.
The conflict in Ukraine began three years ago when Moscow launched a full-scale invasion, sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukrainian territory. In his first remarks addressing Trump’s accusations, Zelenskiy suggested that Trump was echoing disinformation propagated by Moscow.
“As we are talking about 4%, we have seen this disinformation, we understand it’s coming from Russia,” Zelenskiy said during a news conference broadcast on Ukrainian television. “President Trump… unfortunately lives in this disinformation space. Around Trump, there is a disinformation bubble.”
Trump’s comments on Tuesday, which included the accusation that Zelenskiy started the war against Russia, have raised concerns in Ukraine and European capitals. Fast-moving diplomacy on Ukraine, initiated by a recent call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, has triggered alarm that the two leaders could strike a quick deal that overlooks Ukraine’s security interests, rewards Moscow for its invasion, and leaves Putin free to threaten Ukraine or other countries in the future.
Last week, Trump dispatched his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Kyiv with a proposal for access to Ukraine’s natural resources. However, Zelenskiy told reporters on Wednesday that he did not sign the deal as it did not offer any guarantees in return.
“I defend Ukraine, I can’t sell our country,” Zelenskiy stated firmly.