Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky enjoys significantly higher popularity than Donald Trump among Americans, according to a new Gallup poll released as diplomatic tensions mount over potential peace negotiations. The survey of 1,002 Americans shows Zelensky with an 18% net favourability rating whilst Trump sits at negative 16%.
The poll, which assessed public opinion on 14 prominent world figures, places the Ukrainian leader in second position behind Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff who commands a commanding 46% net favourability. Only three figures achieved positive ratings: the Pope, Zelensky, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at 11%.
The findings emerge as the Kremlin confirmed that Presidents Trump and Putin will meet “in the coming days,” though prospects for a three-way summit including Zelensky remain uncertain. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Moscow had left the proposal for trilateral talks “completely without comment.”
Stark Partisan Divide
The poll reveals deep partisan divisions in how Americans view both leaders. Democrats view Zelensky positively by 68% whilst Republicans hold a 23% net negative view of the Ukrainian president. Trump’s ratings show even starker polarisation, with 91% net negativity among Democrats contrasted against 86% net positivity from his own Republican supporters.
These figures challenge Trump’s recent claims about Zelensky’s domestic support. In February, Trump falsely asserted that Zelensky had only 4% approval in Ukraine, a claim the Ukrainian president dismissed as “Russian disinformation.” Independent polling by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology shows Zelensky maintains 57% trust among Ukrainians.
If someone wants to replace me right now, this won’t be possible,” Zelensky stated in response to Trump’s claims. “Unfortunately, President Trump, with all due respect for him as the leader of a nation that we respect greatly, is living in this disinformation space.”
Diplomatic Manoeuvres Intensify
The popularity poll coincides with crucial diplomatic developments following Wednesday’s meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Putin in Moscow. Ushakov confirmed that a venue for the Trump-Putin summit has been agreed but will be announced later.
We propose, first of all, to focus on preparing for a bilateral meeting with Trump and we believe that the main thing is for this meeting to be successful and productive,” Ushakov told Russian state media.
The potential summit would mark the first meeting between US and Russian leaders since Biden and Putin met in Geneva in June 2021, before Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine plunged relations into deep crisis.
European Coordination
As Moscow and Washington move towards bilateral talks, Ukraine’s president has been coordinating closely with European allies. Zelensky spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday about his recent correspondence with Trump.
We are coordinating our positions and we equally see the need for a common European view on key security issues for Europe,” Zelensky wrote on social media following the Macron call.
The Ukrainian leader emphasised that despite diplomatic activity, there remains “no public response from Russia on its readiness for a real ceasefire.
A spokesman for the German government confirmed: “Both [Zelensky and Merz] agreed to maintain close contact with European partners and the US.”
Pope Leo XIV Tops Rankings
Leading the favourability rankings is Pope Leo XIV, the Chicago-born pontiff who made history in May 2025 as the first American to lead the Catholic Church. The 69-year-old Augustinian friar, born Robert Francis Prevost, has quickly established himself as a popular figure with his message of peace and unity.
His 46% net favourability rating far exceeds any other figure in the poll, reflecting broad American pride in having a compatriot lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. The Pope has consistently advocated for peace in Ukraine, denouncing the Russian invasion as “a true invasion, imperialist in nature.
Bottom of the Rankings
At the opposite end of the scale, Tesla CEO Elon Musk recorded the worst rating at negative 18%, falling behind Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Musk’s favourability has dropped 24 points since January, matching Rubio’s decline.
The poll noted that Musk, who briefly headed the Department of Government Efficiency before a public fallout with Trump, saw his ratings plummet following disputes over the president’s signature tax and spending legislation.
Vice President JD Vance and California Governor Gavin Newsom tied at negative 11%, whilst former President Joe Biden also recorded the same negative rating.
Implications for Ukraine Policy
The popularity differential between Zelensky and Trump among Americans could complicate the administration’s efforts to reduce support for Ukraine. With the Ukrainian leader enjoying positive ratings even as Trump sits in negative territory, public opinion may resist dramatic shifts in policy.
Trump has repeatedly questioned the scale of American aid to Ukraine, recently claiming on Truth Social that Zelensky “talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won.
However, the poll suggests Americans maintain sympathy for Ukraine’s cause, with Zelensky’s positive ratings indicating continued public support for the embattled nation.
Next Steps
As diplomatic channels intensify, all eyes turn to the anticipated Trump-Putin summit. Ushakov indicated that “next week has been designated as the benchmark” for the meeting, though exact timing remains fluid.
The Kremlin aide emphasised that “Russian-American relations can be built according to a completely different, mutually beneficial scenario, significantly different from how they have developed in recent years.”
Whether this vision includes Ukraine at the negotiating table remains the critical unanswered question as the world’s major powers manoeuvre towards what could be a pivotal moment in the three-year conflict.
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