Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent public call for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step down has drawn unexpected alignment between Moscow and Washington, both now appearing to favor a change in Kyiv’s leadership. This marks a rare moment where former Cold War adversaries express a shared position regarding the democratically elected leader of Ukraine.

Trump made his remarks on Saturday, urging Ukrainians to choose a new president who could negotiate peace, criticizing Zelensky for allegedly missing opportunities to reach agreements. The comments were welcomed in Russia, with Dmitry Medvedev, former president and current senior security official, endorsing Trump’s view and asserting that Zelensky “wants nothing but war” and “needs to disappear fast.”

Ukraine has repeatedly proposed ceasefire offers and attempts to freeze hostilities, particularly regarding long-range strikes, but Moscow has rejected these initiatives. In August, Russia stated it would not accept any truce that left Zelensky and his administration in power.

Volodymyr Fesenko, a Kyiv-based political analyst perceived to be close to the presidential office, described Trump’s intervention as unprecedented but suggested it would not significantly impact Zelensky’s standing. Polls by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicate that while over 50% of Ukrainians now oppose Zelensky running for a second term, 70% believe elections should be postponed until after the war ends. Ukraine has not held elections since martial law was declared following Russia’s 2022 invasion, extending Zelensky’s originally expired term.

Fesenko noted that Trump's previous criticsms had previously boosted Zelensky’s popularity and predicted a similar effect might occur again. “Trump doesn’t understand how Ukrainian politics works,” he said, adding that Zelensky’s fate will ultimately be decided by Ukrainians through postwar elections.

On the economic and military fronts, Trump recently announced a temporary lifting of U.S. sanctions on Russian diesel imports, allowing up to three million tonnes to enter the United States. He framed the move as a measure to reduce rising diesel prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections and expressed thanks to President Putin. Analysts remain skeptical, noting that such imports represent only a small fraction of U.S. diesel consumption and are unlikely to significantly affect prices.

This development coincided with a deadly wave of Russian missile strikes on Ukraine starting on Wednesday, marking one of the war's bloodiest periods. Approximately 80 civilians, including nine children, were killed during the attacks, which began amid celebrations of Putin’s 74th birthday.

Trump also pressured Zelensky to halt Kyiv’s strikes on Russian oil refineries, warning the Ukrainian leader to “damn well stop.” Ukrainian long-range attacks, which Zelensky refers to as “long-range sanctions,” have reportedly destroyed half of Russia’s oil refining capacity, an effort Putin admits has knocked 1% off Russia’s GDP.

Meanwhile, reports emerged that Trump’s envoys threatened to suspend U.S. intelligence sharing with Kyiv unless the strikes ceased. A Ukrainian official present during discussions in Miami conveyed this claim, though a U.S. source denied it. Fesenko suggested that if the threat were real, Zelensky might consider a temporary pause to navigate the political complexities around the upcoming U.S. elections, but Washington would also need to negotiate a reciprocal arrangement with Moscow.

Keith Kellogg, a retired American general and former Trump special envoy sidelined in peace talks over perceived pro-Ukrainian bias, expressed doubts about Kyiv halting attacks without a formal truce. Experts point out that cutting intelligence support would severely weaken Ukraine’s ability to conduct deep strikes against Russia and ultimately harm U.S. security interests, as Washington benefits from intelligence shared by Kyiv on Russian military operations.

Trump’s approval rating in Ukraine remains low, at 16%, and analysts predict his latest remarks will further diminish his support. The comments have also fueled suspicions within Ukraine that Trump may be acting in Moscow’s interest.

Reactions in Ukraine have been largely critical. A Ukrainian official involved in recent talks expressed frustration over Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, sarcastically hoping the Americans would not supply air defense systems to protect Russian oil facilities—systems Trump has so far withheld from Ukraine. Sofiia Krohmaliuk, who lost her father in Russian captivity, condemned Trump’s statements as “unacceptable,” warning they may embolden further Russian aggression.

Some Ukrainians view the U.S. shift as a blow to Washington’s global reputation as a defender of democracy. Journalist Pavlo Kazarin lamented the perceived decline, stating, “The world once had a great beacon. Sadly its light has gone out.”