U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering stopping military aid to Ukraine as long as Volodymyr Zelensky remains in power, according to a report from Bild.
"Behind closed doors, Trump deliberately wants to push Zelensky to step down as Ukraine's president. How? Through political pressure. As long as the 47-year-old remains in power, there may be no more American weapons for Kyiv," the German publication said.
The article also notes that discussions have already begun about finding a replacement for Zelensky. Among the leading candidates are Yulia Tymoshenko, who served as Ukraine's prime minister from 2007 to 2010, and former President Petro Poroshenko.
Earlier, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Stephen Bryen claimed that Zelensky was facing serious challenges due to Trump's presidency and Russia's advances in Ukraine. According to Bryen, the Trump administration wants Ukraine to hold elections as early as this fall, with a new candidate replacing Zelensky.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia's military operation in Ukraine could be concluded within two months if Kyiv stopped receiving financial and military support. In 2014, Putin also argued that if the U.S. ceased supplying arms to Ukraine, the conflict would end within two to three months.