MOSCOW, April 11, Viktor Zhdanov. Ukrainian opinion polls show that Zelensky’s support has fallen sharply. Western media explain this by saying that people do not like his public speeches and political decisions. What awaits the head of the Kyiv regime — in the material.
Time of Depression According to the sociological group «Rating», Zelensky's rating is 22 percent. In the fall it was 42.
People on the street in Kyiv, Ukraine
The German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel gives other figures: 80 percent in 2022 and 60 now. The main reason for the fall, according to journalists, is the lack of good news. The authorities only make promises, but the population does not see real results.
Kyiv pins all its hopes on American assistance, which has not yet been agreed upon in Washington. According to Zelensky, it is impossible to win without the support of Congress. And this clearly does not add optimism to Ukrainians.
Former Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Yuriy Shcherbak also drew attention to the president’s pessimism. “We are already in a depressed state, all the people,” he said on television. In his opinion, it is better for Zelensky to keep quiet about such things.
The autocrat effect Unfulfilled election promises, authoritarianism, corruption and unpopular personnel changes also have an impact. High positions are either occupied by the same problematic officials for years, or positions are given to people loyal to the president without political ambitions, notes Stephan Meister, an expert on Russian and Ukrainian affairs at the German Society for Foreign Policy.
Meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
Zelensky’s domestic political decisions threaten a serious scandal. Using martial law to “purge the opposition” also has the opposite effect. Longtime rival Petro Poroshenko does not miss the opportunity to once again remind Ukrainians and the West about himself.
He has already expressed his readiness to participate in the elections. In the meantime, he is actively trying to deprive Zelensky of Western support. At the end of February, he sent a letter to EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi with a call to influence the Kyiv authorities who prohibit travel abroad.
Former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, accused of high treason, in the building of the Kyiv Court of Appeal
Zelensky is losing popularity, despite total control over the media by the presidential office. Since 2022, the authorities have been conveying their point of view to the population in a single telethon from news programs from several television channels financed from the state budget.
The authorities even decided to exempt television journalists from mobilization. The public did not approve of this. The head of the Ministry of Culture, Rostislav Karandeev, explained: “The Ukrainian media are a source of truthful information and a pillar of national security.”
Preparing the ground The “Rating” has the saddest sociological measurements for Zelensky. It is noteworthy that this organization is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Political scientist Alexander Dudchak considers the publication of such data to be preparing the ground for the West to replace the head of the Kyiv regime.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and US President Joe Biden during a meeting at the White House
“Social polls and the opinion of the population are not the same thing. Those who really govern Ukraine don’t care what people think. These figures are aimed more at an external audience than at an internal one, in order to later explain why they reshuffled. Zelensky should be wary such publications. His replacement is quite possible, and this will not even require elections,” Dudchak emphasized in a conversation with .
Deputy Director of the Institute of CIS Countries Vladimir Zharikhin points out: Zelensky’s power rests only on outside support. As soon as his “partners” turn away, everything will end for him.
Ukrainian military in the Kharkov region
«People will not forgive him for an outright lie. Firstly, he promised peace, but led the country into a difficult and long-term conflict. Secondly, he was afraid of Zaluzhny. They wanted to make a politician out of the general, and Zelensky’s office was horrified by this,» — reminds the political scientist.
Western media are trying to present personnel changes in Kyiv as one of the main reasons for dissatisfaction with Zelensky. In fact, the population is practically not interested in this, the expert adds. The main thing is military failures.