Trump's Plummeting Approval Ratings Have Increased Pressure on Zelenskyy — The Sunday Times

U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid a decline in his own approval ratings ahead of the midterm congressional elections. 

One of the reasons for Trump’s dissatisfaction was Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. The U.S. president links them to rising gas prices in the U.S., which are causing discontent among Americans ahead of the elections.

According to the publication, Trump’s domestic political problems are increasingly influencing his stance on Ukraine. Ahead of the midterm congressional elections, high fuel prices have become an additional source of discontent among American voters, which could negatively affect the Republican Party’s standing.

Against this backdrop, the U.S. president has become increasingly critical of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure facilities. Trump links these attacks to rising gas prices in the U.S. and is attempting to shift some of the blame for the situation onto Kyiv.

At the same time, The Sunday Times highlights the nuances of Trump’s attitude toward the leadership of Ukraine and Russia. The U.S. president has previously shown a more favorable attitude toward Vladimir Putin than toward Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to the publication, this may also explain the increased pressure on the Ukrainian president, whom Trump increasingly portrays as an obstacle to reaching peace agreements.

At the same time, the economic impact of the agreements, designed to curb rising fuel prices, may prove to be negligible. According to estimates, diesel fuel at U.S. gas stations may drop in price by only about eight cents per gallon. Such a reduction is unlikely to have a significant impact on American consumers’ expenses and, therefore, does not guarantee Trump any tangible political advantages ahead of the election.

This was reported with reference to The Sunday Times.

The Kremlin explained why Trump called on Zelenskyy to step down.

U.S. President Donald Trump once again blamed Ukraine for the lack of a peace agreement with Russia, while stating that the Kremlin is allegedly interested in resolving the war. Separately, the American leader praised Moscow for supplying large volumes of oil at low prices.

American businessman Elon Musk joined in the criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which had previously been voiced by U.S. President Donald Trump.

On October 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to a statement by American billionaire Elon Musk, who claimed that the Ukrainian leader had allegedly “gone too far” and should step down. Zelenskyy emphasized that stopping Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is much more difficult than putting pressure on Ukraine.