Oct 12, 2026 · 15 min · 11 segments
President Trump is increasing pressure on Ukraine over its strikes on Russian oil refineries while again calling on Ukrainians to hold wartime elections and threatening to cut off U.S. intelligence…
Mara Liasson
Michel MartinHost
Joanna Kakissis
Steve InskeepHost
President Trump is once again telling Ukrainians to hold wartime elections and ditch their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Well, Michelle, every time Trump does this, it seems to make Zelensky more popular here.
Uh, just having conversations with Ukrainians in Kyiv yesterday and also reading comments online, one theme clearly emerged that Ukrainians say, you know, "Zelensky is far from ideal, but outsiders don't get to decide whether we should hold elections or who we should get rid of." I spoke with Oleksandr Merezhko.
He's from Zelensky's party, and he leads the Foreign Affairs Committee in parliament, and he says this idea actually comes from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky's term ended in 2024, but, you know, public opinion polls here show most Ukrainians do not want to hold elections in the middle of the war.
They do criticize Zelensky's governing style, and they worry he may have some shady people in his circle.
Uh, but I saw this poll recently that shows, you know, about half of Ukrainians do not want him to run for a second term, but only when elections are held after the war ends.
Most Ukrainians realize that holding elections now is dangerous, there's no ceasefire, and Russia is bombing Ukrainian cities multiple times a day.
Well, you know, Zelensky said on Sunday that he did not know anything about the ceasefire.
Uh, this would involve both sides halting attacks on energy facilities.
And in his evening video address, uh, Sunday night, Zelensky said he welcomes, uh, such a ceasefire.
He's saying, "Let's make it happen.
President Trump is once again telling Ukrainians to hold wartime elections and ditch their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Well, Michelle, every time Trump does this, it seems to make Zelensky more popular here.
Uh, just having conversations with Ukrainians in Kyiv yesterday and also reading comments online, one theme clearly emerged that Ukrainians say, you know, "Zelensky is far from ideal, but outsiders don't get to decide whether we should hold elections or who we should get rid of." I spoke with Oleksandr Merezhko.
He's from Zelensky's party, and he leads the Foreign Affairs Committee in parliament, and he says this idea actually comes from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky's term ended in 2024, but, you know, public opinion polls here show most Ukrainians do not want to hold elections in the middle of the war.
They do criticize Zelensky's governing style, and they worry he may have some shady people in his circle.
Uh, but I saw this poll recently that shows, you know, about half of Ukrainians do not want him to run for a second term, but only when elections are held after the war ends.
Most Ukrainians realize that holding elections now is dangerous, there's no ceasefire, and Russia is bombing Ukrainian cities multiple times a day.
Well, you know, Zelensky said on Sunday that he did not know anything about the ceasefire.
Uh, this would involve both sides halting attacks on energy facilities.
And in his evening video address, uh, Sunday night, Zelensky said he welcomes, uh, such a ceasefire.
He's saying, "Let's make it happen.
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