Zelensky responded to Trump: denial of manipulation and emphasis on support for Ukraine

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the statement of former US President Donald Trump regarding his allegedly extremely low rating in Ukraine. Zelensky stressed that the widespread information about support at 4% is blatant disinformation of Russian origin.

During a press conference, Zelensky noted that Ukrainian intelligence has evidence indicating that these manipulative data were discussed between Russia and American political circles. He emphasized that he respects the American people and their support for Ukraine, but stressed that Donald Trump, unfortunately, became a victim of the information war waged by the Kremlin.

The head of state also drew attention to a new study by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), published on the morning of February 19, which shows that the level of trust in the President of Ukraine among citizens has increased to 57%. This is a direct refutation of Trump's statement made the day before.

Zelensky also expressed concern that certain US actions could contribute to Russia's exit from international isolation. He stressed that the Kremlin is actively using disinformation to influence world politics, and criticized attempts to negotiate with Moscow at the expense of concessions. According to him, Ukraine does not seek any security guarantees from Russia, as the Kremlin has repeatedly proven its unreliability and aggressiveness.

Regarding US and EU financial assistance to Ukraine, Zelensky said that the total cost of the war for the country was $320 billion, of which $120 billion is Ukrainian taxpayers' money, and another $200 billion is support from the West. He emphasized that, in particular, the US provided Ukraine with $67 billion in weapons and another $31.5 billion in direct financial assistance to the budget.

The president also commented on statements about the need to return funds spent on supporting Kyiv. He stressed that such talks are not serious, because Ukraine is not just receiving aid, but is waging a war that is critically important for the security of all of Europe and the world. Instead, he called for focusing on developing real security guarantees that would help stop Russian aggression and ensure peace in the region.