Zelenskyy's more popular than Trump with Americans, Gallup
Photo: Zelenskyy beats Trump in popularity ranking (Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken second place in a ranking of global political figures by positive perception in the United States. Only the Pontiff ranks higher, according to a Gallup poll.
Pope Leo XIV leads, Zelenskyy in second place
Among 14 well-known global figures, Leo XIV enjoys the highest approval rating in the US, +46. Zelenskyy's score stands at +18, which is significantly lower but still falls within the range of positive approval.
The pope's positive image is explained by the fact that 57% of Americans view him positively, while only 11% view him negatively. Zelenskyy's share of positive ratings (52%) also outweighs the negative ones (34%).
The ranking also includes Senator Bernie Sanders at +11 and French President Emmanuel Macron, whose approval is neutral. Most of the other figures, including Elon Musk (-28) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (-23), have a negative rating balance.
Ratings in decline
41% of Americans have a positive opinion of Donald Trump, while 57% view him negatively. That gives him a balance of -16. Since January, the US president has lost 14 points in approval.
Members of Trump's administration, including Trump himself, Hegseth, and others, have seen significant drops in their ratings since January. Musk and Marco Rubio each lost 24 points over a few months.
Zelensky’s strong support comes from Democrats (+68) and independent voters (+15). Among Republicans, his rating is negative (-23).
The Gallup survey, which included 1,002 participants, was conducted from July 7 to July 21, 2025.
Zelenskyy and Trump ratings
According to leading Ukrainian polling agencies, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's rating rose significantly at the beginning of 2025 following Donald Trump's return to power and the shift in US policy toward Ukraine. In June, around 65% of Ukrainians said they trusted Zelenskyy. His rating is expected to drop after an unsuccessful attempt to strip the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) of its independence.
According to Gallup's latest poll, Trump's approval rating in the US has fallen to 37%.
At the beginning of 2025, Trump falsely claimed that Zelenskyy's approval rating in Ukraine was just 4%.
