Zelensky sees trust rating boost after rift with Trump
Volodymyr Zelensky has seen a significant boost in his trust rating among Ukrainians amid an escalating war of words with Donald Trump, who has piled pressure on Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, reports BritPanorama.
A new poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on 20 October revealed that the Ukrainian president’s trust rating rose by 14 percentage points since the US struck a deal with Moscow to supply Russian diesel, drawing a furious reaction from Kyiv.
The survey found that 43% of Ukrainians trusted Zelensky between 8 October and 9, while 52% did not. Between 10 October and 16, his trust rating had jumped to 57%, while the number of people who distrusted him fell to 39%.
Relations between the US and the Ukrainian president hit a new low on Tuesday after Trump accused him of “doing nothing” to stop a war started by Russia. Zelensky responded with a swipe at Trump last week, praising the “real leaders” in Europe who had backed Kyiv.
Elsewhere, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that it could be accurate that a batch of vital interceptor missiles headed for Ukraine has not been delivered.
The complex relationship between Ukraine and the US continues to unfold, with both leaders likely to face mounting pressure amid the ongoing conflict and shifting geopolitical dynamics.
