For years, the Western media has painted Volodymyr Zelensky as a brave wartime leader, a modern-day Churchill standing against Russian aggression. But as Donald Trump has pointed out time and time again, this narrative is a fantasy. In reality, Zelensky has consolidated power, crushed dissent, banned opposition parties, taken over the media, persecuted the church, and refused to hold elections—all hallmarks of a dictator. The evidence is overwhelming, yet the war hawks continue to turn a blind eye.
The Myth of Popularity
Trump recently suggested that Zelensky’s real approval rating is a meager 4 percent—a stark contrast to the made-up 58 percent figure peddled by Kyiv. And let’s be honest, a leader with genuine popularity does not need to shut down elections or silence the press. While the Western establishment rushes to dismiss Trump’s claims, a visit to Ukraine paints a very different picture.
During my own trips to Ukraine , it was abundantly clear that Zelensky is not the beloved hero the media claims he is. People whispered their frustrations, afraid to speak too loudly. One Ukrainian, firmly anti-Russia yet also anti- Zelensky, put it bluntly: “They keep saying they are trying to help us fight so that we would have a stronger hand in negotiations, but it just keeps getting worse.” When I asked how he thought the war would end, his response was chilling: “Hopefully with Zelensky dead.” That alone speaks volumes about the reality on the ground.
Banning Elections – The Move of a Dictator
When facing declining support, a true democrat would seek to reaffirm legitimacy through elections. Zelensky did the opposite. He canceled them. His apologists argue that elections during wartime are too difficult, but history proves otherwise. Take Cambodia in 1993: the country held elections while the
Khmer Rouge still controlled significant swathes of territory. Iraq, Afghanistan, and even Syria have managed to conduct elections amid violent conflict. If Ukraine truly believes in democracy, then why not let the people decide? Because Zelensky knows what the result would be.
The War on Opposition
Beyond canceling elections, Zelensky has outright banned political opposition. The Opposition Platform – For Life party, one of the largest in the country, was outlawed. Other parties followed, including leftist and socialist movements. It wasn’t just pro- Russian elements being targeted; any group critical of Zelensky’s
rule found itself in the crosshairs.
His crackdown didn’t stop at parties—he also seized control of the media. Independent channels were shut down, and all major news outlets were merged into a single government-run broadcast. The result? A Soviet-style propaganda machine that echoes Zelensky’s narratives and suppresses dissenting voices.
His assault on opposition extended even to the church. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, historically connected to the Moscow Patriarchate but widely followed in Ukraine, has been persecuted under Zelensky’s rule. Clergy members have been arrested, churches have been raided, and religious institutions have been targeted for their alleged ties to Russia. Under the guise of national security, the government has weaponized the state against religious leaders, another classic dictatorial move aimed at controlling every facet of public life.
Forced Conscription and Abductions
Perhaps the most damning aspect of Zelensky’s rule is how he has treated his own people in this war. There are widespread reports of Ukrainian men being snatched from the streets, forced to fight
against their will. Young men, old men, even those unfit for service—no one is safe. Videos circulate of military officers dragging people away in broad daylight. There is no real choice: fight, flee, or risk arrest.
The desperation has reached such a point that Kyiv is now demanding other countries send back Ukrainian refugees so they can be conscripted. Imagine fleeing a warzone, only to be forced back at gunpoint. This is not the policy of a free country—it is the policy of a dictatorship that values bodies for the front line over human rights.
The Peace That Could Have Been
Trump has long argued that Ukraine could have ended this war early, saving thousands of lives. But Zelensky, encouraged by Western hawks, refused to negotiate. Even back in 2022, Ukraine and Russia were close to a settlement —one that would have prevented the destruction we see today. Instead, Zelensky gambled. He bet everything on the idea that unlimited Western support would lead to victory. Now, with Western support fading and battlefield losses mounting, it’s clear that gamble has failed.
As Trump said, there will be peace, but it won’t be the kind Ukraine likes. That’s not Russia’s fault. That’s not America’s fault. That’s on Zelensky and the so-called leaders who urged Ukraine to “hold out” while their country was torn apart.
The Reality Check
The cold, hard truth is that Ukraine is worse off now than when this war began. The economy is in ruins, millions have fled, and its military is running out of men and weapons. Ukraine is on borrowed time, and Zelensky knows it.
Trump, as always, has said the quiet part out loud. He has exposed the failures of Zelensky’s leadership, much to the outrage of the establishment. But facts don’t care about feelings. The West sold Ukraine a dream it could never deliver on, and now, as the inevitable reality of defeat approaches, Zelensky’s dictatorship is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
At some point, even his most ardent defenders will have to admit what is obvious: Zelensky is no democratic hero. He is just another authoritarian clinging to power, no matter how much his people suffer for it.