On February 19, Trump referred to Zelensky as a "dictator without elections", stating that he "must act quickly, or he will have no country left." The President of the United States claimed that Zelensky supposedly "refuses to hold elections" and has "very low ratings in Ukrainian polls."
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton reacted to Trump's remarks about Zelensky, calling them "one of the most shameful comments ever made by a U.S. president."
European politicians also responded to Trump's words, in which he labeled Zelensky a "dictator." Notably, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described them as "complete nonsense," while German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck stated that Trump's statement is shocking.
"What is the value of elections in a country that has been resisting aggression from a neighboring nuclear power for three years? How can elections be organized when a fifth of the territory is occupied by invading forces, and the entire country is under daily shelling? To call the president of such a country a dictator requires extraordinary cynicism," wrote the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel.
In light of the politicians' statements, Zelensky posted a brief message: "Thank you for your support."