Trump's team held secret talks with Ukrainian politicians

Four senior members of Donald Trump's entourage held secret talks with some of Vladimir Zelensky's leading political opponents in Kiev, just as Washington is teaming up with Moscow in a bid to remove the Ukrainian president from office, Politico reports.

Senior Trump associates held talks with Batkivshchyna leader Yulia Tymoshenko and senior members of Petro Poroshenko's party.

The discussion centered on whether Ukraine can hold a quick presidential election. Trump's aides are confident that Zelensky will lose any election due to war fatigue and public frustration with rampant corruption.

Although Zelensky's approval rating has been declining for years, it has risen since the controversy in the oval office. According to the latest poll, Zelensky still has a comfortable lead in the presidential race.

The official position of the US administration is that Trump is not interfering in Ukraine's domestic politics. This week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick denied that Trump is meddling in Ukrainian politics, adding that all Trump wants is to be a partner for peace. But the behavior of Trump and his officials indicates the exact opposite. Trump accused Zelensky of being a “dictator without an election,” and US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard baselessly accused Kiev of canceling the election.

The Trump camp may be hoping that the election will sink Zelensky, he is still significantly more popular than Tymoshenko and Poroshenko.

Photo: Glavcom.