Zelensky’s Rivals Respond to Reports of ‘Secret’ Talks with Trump’s Team

Volodymyr Zelensky’s political rivals have addressed reports of “secret” talks with President Donald Trump’s team, as speculation mounts over who could eventually succeed the Ukrainian leader.

Newsweek contacted Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry for comment via email on Thursday.

Why It Matters

Trump has been echoing Kremlin rhetoric by calling for Ukraine to hold elections despite the ongoing war. He labeled Zelensky a “dictator”—before backtracking days afterward—and claimed he is an illegitimate leader, disregarding the fact that martial law in Ukraine prohibits elections during wartime for security reasons.

Zelensky meanwhile has said that he would be willing to step down if it meant securing Kyiv’s NATO membership.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for a plenary meeting at Lancaster House during the European leaders’ summit on March 2, 2025, in London, England.

Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images

What We Know

On Wednesday, Politico reported that four senior members of Trump’s team held “secret” talks with Zelensky’s top election rivals—Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko—and discussed whether the country could hold wartime elections.

Both Poroshenko and Tymoshenko confirmed on Thursday that they have been in touch with Trump administration officials, but said they oppose elections taking place during the country’s war with Russia.

Elections were suspended in Ukraine in February 2022 under martial law that was imposed in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion, but Trump and Putin have pressured Ukraine in recent weeks by questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy as a leader.

Putin claimed Zelensky doesn’t have the right to sign any documents in potential peace deals and that he has lost legitimacy because the country hasn’t held recent presidential elections.

And on February 1, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, told Reuters that Washington wants Kyiv to hold elections by the end of the year, as “most democratic nations have elections in their time of war.”

“I think it is good for democracy. That’s the beauty of a solid democracy, you have more than one person potentially running,” said Kellogg.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian publication Strana said its sources claim Trump’s representatives have also held talks with former Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhny—who is seen as a strong electoral challenger to Zelensky—Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov and Servant of the People faction leader David Arakhamia.

Internal polling obtained by The Economist indicates that while Zelensky remains Ukraine’s most popular politician, he would lose a future election to Zaluzhny by 30 percent to 65 percent, the magazine said.

Strana’s sources said they “are surprised why…the media singled out only Poroshenko and Tymoshenko.”

What People Are Saying

Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko (Batkivshchyna party) said on Facebook: “Ukraine—and President Zelensky said this clearly—is ready for talks to end the war under strong leadership of President Trump. The Batkivshchyna team is negotiating with all our allies who can help secure a just and peaceful solution as soon as possible. Until that moment, and I have said this more than once, there can be no talk of holding any elections in Ukraine.”

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said: “We work publicly and transparently with our American partners, striving to maintain bipartisan support for Ukraine.The essence of our conversations with representatives of the American side has always come down to two principles—security first and peace through strength. Namely—weapons, intelligence, sanctions against Russia, financial support, democratic stability (freedom and democracy), transatlantic unity.

“Our team has always been and continues to be against elections during the war…We have said and are saying that after the ceasefire, elections and the signing of a peace agreement with guarantees for Ukraine’s security are possible.”

A source told Ukrainian publication Strana: “In fact, the Americans are now communicating with everyone. Moreover, their main focus is not on working with Poroshenko and Tymoshenko, whose influence on the current situation is insignificant.

“Trump’s allies are currently focusing on several figures—Valeriy Zaluzhny, who, according to ratings, can defeat Zelensky in the elections, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who is one of the few in the government to criticize Bankova, as well as the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Budanov and the head of the Servants of the People faction Arakhamia, who oppose Yermak and are more positive than the head of the OP about Trump’s idea of ending the war as soon as possible, considering this right for Ukraine.

“Washington, with the help of these contacts, wants to organize internal pressure on Zelensky in order to encourage him to agree to a ceasefire. This is also a feeler to see who can be bet on in post-war Ukraine, given the White House’s extremely skeptical attitude towards Zelensky.”