Russian President Vladimir Putin claims Vladimir Zelensky has “absolutely no chance” of winning a fair election due to his low approval ratings and Ukraine’s internal political situation, reads an RT report.
Zelensky’s five-year presidential term expired in May 2024, but he has refused to call new elections, citing martial law. His popularity came under scrutiny last week when former US President Donald Trump called him a “dictator without elections” with an approval rating of “just 4%.”
Speaking on Monday, Putin noted that Zelensky’s support is far lower than that of his potential rival, General Valery Zaluzhny, the former commander of Ukraine’s armed forces. In an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, Putin suggested that if key political figures rallied behind Zaluzhny, Zelensky’s reelection chances would be “absolutely zero.”
“They are equal to zero. Unless, of course, the vote is grossly rigged—but that would be obvious,” Putin said.
He described Zelensky as a “toxic figure” for Ukraine’s military, accusing him of issuing “absurd orders dictated by political rather than military considerations.” According to Putin, this has led to “catastrophic losses,” making him toxic “for society as a whole.”
“Zelensky is accelerating the disintegration of the army, society, and the state,” Putin said, adding that Trump “understands this” and is pressuring him to hold elections. Trump, he suggested, wants to stabilize Ukraine and prevent its collapse.
Putin has repeatedly dismissed Zelensky’s legitimacy. Trump has also criticized the Ukrainian leader, accusing him of mismanaging the conflict with Russia and mishandling US financial aid.
Zelensky, however, claims Trump has fallen for “Russian disinformation,” citing a January poll that allegedly found 57% of Ukrainians trust him. Yet, The Economist reported last week that Zelensky would lose decisively to Zaluzhny if an election were held, as many Ukrainians are “clearly frustrated with their war leader.”
Putin argues that Zelensky—who has banned himself from talks with Moscow—is deliberately blocking any peace process to maintain martial law, which keeps him in power. Without it, Ukraine would be forced to hold elections, a scenario Putin believes Zelensky is determined to avoid.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
