[Cause]

What is the Ukrainian position of Zelenskyy. I was under the impression he was seen positively?

[Werthead]

Cause, on 20 February 2025 - 08:30 PM, said:

What is the Ukrainian position of Zelenskyy. I was under the impression he was seen positively?

His approval ratings have traditionally been high, but they have slackened off over the past year or so. The general feeling seems to be that he hasn't gotten as good a grip on corruption as he could have, and some of his appointments and decisions have been a bit questionable. But there's also a lot of respect for how he's handled the war in general relations with other countries, PR, positive messaging and so on. There's also a lot of feeling that he's President in an incredibly difficult, trying position, facing down incredible odds, and anybody in that position can make mistakes. There's probably few other jobs in the world right now that are more stressful, more difficult and more challenging.

That's my perspective as an outsider, Mentalist can probably give us a better look from the Ukrainian POV.

His approval ratings (his real, actual ones) seem to be around 57% at the moment (far higher than Trump's) and is actually up from the 52% he ended 2024 on. But way down on ratings of about 77% at the end of 2023.

This post has been edited by Werthead: Today, 12:04 AM

[Mentalist]

Cause, on 20 February 2025 - 08:30 PM, said:

What is the Ukrainian position of Zelenskyy. I was under the impression he was seen positively?

There's a fair amount of (deserved) criticism. The military institutions are not being reformed as quickly as possible. Most of the major battlefield losses were due to incompetent, inflexible commanders being appointed because they are "part of the hierarchy", and Zelensky's appointees have not been able to address this adequately- in part because they are not given free reign by the Office of the President, which maintains its own client networks and informal obligations. There is a certain degree of ongoing corruption and profiteering by government officials. At the same time, Zelensky corralled all major media into a single "news marathon" and continues to try to monopolize public opinion, excluding his (anti-Russian) political rivals and their media. Certain odious people responsible for maintaining informal control of courts and law enforcement go back to Yanukovych's times, but Zelensky continues to use their services, despite them having a reputation of working with openly pro-Russian regimes in the past. He's been trying to obstruct independent journalists.
The Office of the President is continuously attempting to subjugate the supposedly independent anti-corruption agencies that were created in compliance with obligations to move towards EU standards.

All in all, Zelensky is not without certain autocratic tendencies. There is a reason why his rating in the winter of 2021-2022 was below 20%. Those issues and grievances have not gone anywhere. At the same time, Ukraine has a strong, vibrant (and now largely well-armed) civic society, so the prospect of actual tyranny is as unlikely as ever. There is also a strong consensus, even among his political rivals (all of them who aren't outspoken Muscovite apologists, and we don't take them seriously, because see above: a lot of armed civilians that really don't like Muscovy) that elections prior to conclusion of the war would only serve to sever national unity and would be counter-productive.

And the main thing is, at the moment, the only viable political alternative to Zelensky would be someone with direct ties to the military, b/c the Ukrainian Armed Forces are BY FAR the most trusted institution in the country. Which is why the polls are saying if Zaluzhny (the former Commander in Chief) will run against Zelensky, he will win in Round 1, 60 to 30. Considerng Zaluzhny was calling for a total mobilization, reclamation of all occupied territory and establishing a "demilitarized zone" within Muscovy 100-200 km deep from the border, I don't think Trump and Putler will be particularly happy with that election outcome.

[Tiste Simeon]

 Mentalist, on 21 February 2025 - 12:08 AM, said:

... I don't think Trump and Putler will be particularly happy with that election outcome.

YOU MUST HAVE ELECTIONS!

Wait, no not like that...