Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly responded for the first time to controversial remarks by US President Donald Trump, who recently described him as a “dictator without elections.”
“I am not a dictator”
In an interview with BBC, Zelensky laughed off the accusation, saying: “I am not a dictator, and I didn’t start the war, that’s it.” He was answering a question about Mr Trump’s earlier comments.
Asked whether he trusted the American leader when it came to potential security guarantees, Zelensky offered a measured response. He stressed that the issue was not about an individual president but about the United States as a country. Ukraine, he said, requires long-term commitments lasting decades, as political leaders inevitably change.
In February 2025, Trump labelled Zelensky a dictator who had refused to hold elections amid falling approval ratings. When later pressed by journalists on the remark, the US president appeared to distance himself from the comment, claiming not to recall making it.
Zelensky acknowledged in the interview that he has yet to decide whether he will stand in the next presidential election. He said he was weighing both the possibility of running again and stepping aside. The vote had originally been scheduled for spring 2024 but was postponed under martial law, which has been extended every three months since the start of the military conflict in February 2022.
Elections postponed under martial law
Zelensky’s five-year presidential term formally expired on May 20, 2024. However, the 2024 presidential election was cancelled due to martial law and general mobilisation.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that it does not recognise Zelensky’s legitimacy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that Zelensky’s mandate expired along with his term and cannot be restored. According to the Kremlin’s interpretation of Ukrainian law, presidential authority should pass to the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. Russian officials maintain that the issue is crucial, as any peace agreement must be signed by what they consider a legitimate authority.
Trump renews сriticism
Trump has likewise insisted that Ukraine should hold presidential elections. “We are dealing with a situation where there have been no elections in Ukraine. When they want a seat at the table (for negotiations)… shouldn’t the people of Ukraine say that it has been a long time since we had elections?” he said.
The US president has also claimed that Zelensky’s approval rating has fallen to 4 per cent.
In December 2025, Trump also urged Kyiv to organise elections, questioning the state of democratic processes in the country. Zelensky responded by expressing readiness to hold both presidential elections and a referendum within two to three months of a ceasefire. According to him, 90 per cent of Ukrainians oppose holding elections while active hostilities continue.
