Trump wants to silence Zelenskyy — Portnikov explains the U.S. President’s attacks

U.S. President Donald Trump is not only trying to distance himself from Vladimir Putin’s crimes but also seeking to silence Volodymyr Zelenskyy to avoid damage to his own reputation.

This was stated by journalist and political analyst Vitaliy Portnikov on his YouTube channel.

According to Portnikov, it’s worth noting that in a single post, Trump simultaneously criticized both Putin and Zelenskyy, and this is no coincidence:

«Trump is attacking Putin because he realizes that the Russian president’s actions are damaging his reputation. Trump says he wants to end the war, but Putin bombs cities while Trump calls for negotiations.»

Portnikov is convinced that Putin is deliberately continuing the killings to test the West’s limits of patience, thereby forcing Trump to choose between a «peace mission» and harsh sanctions.

At the same time, Portnikov adds, Donald Trump is equally aggressive in trying to rein in the Ukrainian President:

«Zelenskyy made a statement after the first massive attack, which went almost without a U.S. response. He emphasized that America’s silence only emboldens Putin. This could have seemed like a dangerous blow to Trump’s authority.»

According to the journalist, Zelenskyy’s sharp reaction and its coverage in American media create no less reputational trouble for Trump than Russia’s crimes themselves.

«It turns out that not only Putin but also Zelenskyy is damaging Trump’s image by forcing the world to face reality. And that’s a good thing. It would be bad if the Ukrainian President fell silent at the U.S.’s demand, ” Portnikov notes.

He also emphasizes that Trump, like Putin, respects only a strong stance:

«Trump listens only to those who speak from a position of strength. Any weakness or attempt to please him guarantees that your position will be ignored.»