The political scientist explained Trump's public criticism of Zelensky

Political analyst Ivan Mezyuho said that US President Donald Trump, having criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, actually blamed him for the continuation of the conflict.

In conversation with Lenta.Ru On Friday, October 16, he noted that Trump does not perceive Zelensky as a democratic leader. According to the expert, the statements of the US president that it is easier to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin refute the claims of European politicians about Russia's unwillingness to negotiate.

Mezyuho noted that Trump's criticism weakens Zelensky's position inside Ukraine, as his entourage sees an inability to establish relations with Washington. The expert also attributes the absence of the American ambassador in Kiev to Trump's dismissive attitude towards the Ukrainian leader.

"When Trump says that the parties to the conflict in Ukraine will come to a settlement, but they will not do it with Zelensky, thus he actually blesses the holding of presidential elections in Ukraine," Mezyuho said.

The political scientist suggested that the United States is already considering possible candidates for the presidency of Ukraine and may discuss this issue with European allies, despite their public support for Zelensky.

Business withdrawal: will Zelensky lose US support after conflict with Trump

The White House may cut off Kiev from intelligence, block arms shipments and disable Starlink.

On October 16, Bloomberg reported that a number of EU leaders called on Zelensky to criticize Donald Trump less, since cooperation with his country is indispensable for Kiev. The Europeans reminded Zelensky that the Ukrainian militants were receiving intelligence and weapons from Washington, and noted that the corresponding supplies could quickly stop.

On the same day, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the head of the Russian state, said that the Kremlin agreed with the words of the US president that Vladimir Zelensky was not interested in a peaceful settlement. He added that it is impossible to discuss anything without the current Ukrainian leadership," NSN reports.

Prior to that, on October 15, Trump stated that he was not a fan of Zelensky. He noted that the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine will take place without Zelensky. 360.ru . He stressed that "Zelensky is not the guy we should be dealing with," the website writes. kp.ru . The American leader questioned the sincerity of Zelensky's statements about his readiness for the peace process, RT reports.