Trump's criticism of Ukraine's leadership is US elections-related - Political analyst

According to Reiterovych, Republicans are using aggressive rhetoric regarding the Russia-Ukraine war as part of their election strategy.

"The election campaign is the key context here. There are, of course, some legitimate questions, but Republicans would have found something to criticize regardless. And since the latest polls likely showed very unfavorable trends for them, they decided to bet on the most aggressive rhetoric regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, fueling concerns about a possible apocalypse, World War III, and so on. Zelenskyy's visit and the events surrounding it have become a very convenient target, which they fully exploited," Reiterovych stated.

Reiterovych added that Trump's increased rhetoric is problematic for maintaining bipartisan support for Ukraine.

"This will likely have a negative impact, but there is a nuance. Congress is already going on a long recess, so in practical terms, we won't lose much during this time, simply because the recess coincides with the peak of the campaign," Reiterovych explained.

Background

Former US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of refusing to seek an agreement to settle the war with Russia. Trump claimed that Zelenskyy "didn't want to make a deal" that, according to him, could have prevented the destruction of Ukraine.

Additionally, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson sent a letter to President Zelenskyy, demanding the dismissal of Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova.

To learn why Trump and the Republicans have intensified their criticism of Zelenskyy and what consequences this may have for Ukraine, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.