Trump allies secretly meet Zelensky’s Ukrainian opponents: Politico
4 Min Read
As Washington intensifies pressure on Zelensky to step down, the Ukrainian leader's opponents are engaging with US President Donald Trump’s top allies.
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From left, European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speak with the media as they arrive for an EU Summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, March 6, 2025 (AP)
Four senior members of Donald Trump’s inner circle have held discreet discussions with key political rivals of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a time when Washington and Moscow appear aligned in seeking to remove him from office, Politico reported.
According to three Ukrainian parliamentarians and a US Republican foreign policy expert, the Trump allies met with Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko—described as "remorselessly ambitious"—as well as senior figures from the party of former President Petro Poroshenko.
The talks reportedly focused on the possibility of holding expedited presidential elections in Ukraine, as per the report.
The Trump aides believe Zelensky would lose such a vote, citing war fatigue and public discontent over widespread corruption.
While Zelensky’s approval ratings have been declining for years, they received a boost following last week’s Oval Office confrontation, where he was "shown the door after being berated by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance," Politico indicated.
Despite these political maneuvers, the latest poll still shows Zelensky maintaining a strong lead in the presidential race.
Ukraine plans new talks with US amid pause on intelligence sharing
Ukraine has announced, on Wednesday, plans to hold fresh discussions with the United States following Washington's decision to suspend intelligence sharing, a move that has dealt a significant blow to Kiev as it continues to engage in an EU-backed war with Russia.
The development comes after a highly publicized and contentious meeting between Zelensky and Trump last week, during which the latter criticized the Ukrainian President in front of international media and abruptly ended the meeting.
In an evening address, Zelensky revealed that preparations for new talks are underway. "Today, Ukrainian and American teams began working on an upcoming meeting. We're seeing forward momentum," he said, without providing specific details about the timing or location of the discussions.
The suspension of US intelligence sharing follows an earlier halt in military aid, raising concerns in Kiev and across Europe that Ukraine may face increased pressure to accept a peace settlement favorable to Moscow or risk losing critical American support.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said later on that Zelensky’s latest statement is a positive step forward following failed negotiations with Trump last week, but it remains to be seen what happens next.
“President Zelenskyy did put out a statement yesterday, which we believe is a positive step forward, and Secretary National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has been talking to his Ukrainian counterpart, and so we're in the midst of this and we'll see what happens next,” Leavitt said during a press briefing.
Zelensky has been working to repair relations and reaffirm Ukraine's commitment to achieving lasting peace. In a social media post following a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, he wrote, "We all want a safe future for our people. Not a temporary ceasefire, but an end to the war once and for all. With our coordinated efforts and US leadership, this is entirely achievable."
Earlier, Zelensky expressed his readiness to engage in peace negotiations, stating that he was "ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer" and that he wanted to "make things right" with Trump.
Read more: US halted aid to Kiev without consulting NATO: Polish MFA
