Zelensky responds to Trump’s claim, calls it ‘disinformation’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed former US President Donald Trump’s claim that his approval rating is only 4 percent, stating that Trump is living in a “disinformation space.”

“Unfortunately, President Trump, who we respect as the leader of the American people, lives in this disinformation space,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Local Ukrainian media pointed to a February poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), which showed that 57 percent of Ukrainians trust Zelensky, reflecting a five-point increase since December 2024.

Meanwhile, Keith Kellogg, the US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, arrived in Kyiv for discussions with Zelensky. He described his visit as an opportunity for negotiations, emphasizing that the United States acknowledges the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine.

US-Russia talks in Riyadh

Zelensky’s remarks come a day after high-level US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, where officials from both nations discussed Ukraine and diplomatic relations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, met for five hours on Tuesday.

Lavrov announced that Russia and the US will soon appoint teams to engage in regular negotiations on Ukraine.

A major outcome of the discussions was an agreement to ensure the “earliest possible appointment” of ambassadors to Moscow and Washington, aiming to restore diplomatic ties strained over the years.

Lavrov stressed the need to remove “artificial barriers” that have hampered diplomatic efforts since the Biden administration.

Senior diplomats from both sides are expected to meet soon to address these diplomatic obstacles, with an emphasis on restoring “everyday normal relations.”