Does he want a change of power? Trump is apparently holding secret talks with Selensky's opponents
According to a report, high-ranking Trump representatives have held secret talks with Ukrainian opposition politicians. The suspicion: Does Washington want a change at the top in Ukraine?
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Trump advisors met secretly with Zelenskyi opponents in Ukraine.
- The talks revolved around possible presidential elections, which Zelensky could lose.
- Trump's circle is criticizing Zelensky increasingly harshly - pressure on Ukraine is growing.
According to a report by the US portal "Politico", high-ranking Trump representatives have held secret talks with Ukrainian opposition politicians. The aim: a possible new election in Ukraine - and possibly the replacement of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to three Ukrainian MPs and a US Republican foreign policy expert, the Trump envoys are said to have met with Yulia Tymoshenko and former President Petro Poroshenko. Particularly explosive: Poroshenko was defeated by Selensky by a large margin in 2019.
Ukraine should actually be holding new presidential elections, but the vote was postponed due to martial law - a common occurrence in times of war.
Scandal last week
However, Donald Trump publicly criticized the decision. Those close to him were convinced that Zelensky would lose in an election, as the population is growing weary of the war and frustration over corruption is spreading in the country.
However, according to current polls, Zelensky remains the most popular politician in Ukraine. The only serious challenger would be ex-army chief Valery Salushnyi, who is now ambassador to London. Tymoshenko and Poroshenko, on the other hand, are far behind.
The fact that Trump is critical of Zelensky is nothing new. He had already publicly attacked him in the past. Especially after the escalation in the Oval Office at the beginning of last week, Zelensky was sharply attacked by Trump's camp.
Actual background unclear
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, long a supporter of Ukraine, recently suggested that Zelensky should resign or change his strategy. Trump's son and other advisors publicly attacked the Ukrainian president and exposed him.
It remains unclear whether Trump is actually seeking a political change in Kiev. But the secret talks between his confidants and the Ukrainian opposition show that he is: The relationship between Washington and Kiev could deteriorate further.
