Ukrainian opposition figures in talks with Trump allies amid alleged effort to unseat Zelensky: Report

In contrast, Politico noted that both Tymoshenko and Poroshenko have significantly lower public support.

Two of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s political rivals have confirmed contact with members of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s circle following a Politico report that revealed alleged discussions about removing Zelensky from office.

According to Politico, "secret discussions" have taken place regarding the possibility of holding snap presidential elections in Ukraine before a final peace deal is signed—potentially paving the way for Zelensky’s removal.

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, in a Facebook post, acknowledged his engagement with U.S. partners but emphasized that his efforts were "public and transparent" to ensure continued bipartisan support for Ukraine. He firmly opposed elections during wartime, stating that a presidential vote should only occur “after a ceasefire and the signing of a peace agreement with security guarantees for Ukraine.”

Politico reported that Trump’s team had reached out to Poroshenko and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to discuss the feasibility of snap elections and their potential to unseat Zelensky. Trump previously claimed that Zelensky’s approval rating had plummeted to just 4%, though polling data contradicts this.

A February survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed 63% of Ukrainians approved of Zelensky’s policies. His standing likely improved further after last week’s high-profile confrontation with Trump at the White House sparked a wave of support on social media.

In contrast, Politico noted that both Tymoshenko and Poroshenko have significantly lower public support. A late February poll by British firm Survation found only 10 percent of Ukrainian voters backed Poroshenko, while just 6 percent supported Tymoshenko. Meanwhile, former Ukrainian military chief and current ambassador to London, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, remains Zelensky’s strongest political rival, with 21% of respondents backing him.

Tymoshenko also addressed the matter in a Facebook statement, asserting that her party, Batkivshchyna, was “in talks with all our allies” to secure a just peace but insisted that holding elections before peace was “out of the question.”

Despite public denials, an unnamed Republican foreign policy expert told Politico that both Tymoshenko and Poroshenko have been engaging with Trump’s allies, positioning themselves as “people who would be easier to work with” than Zelensky.