Ukraine president's ratings fall as crisis with Russia brews

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a political novice running to become Ukraine’s president when he vowed to reach out to Russia-backed rebels in the east who were fighting Ukrainian forces and make strides toward resolving the conflict

KYIV, Ukraine -- As a political novice making an unlikely run to be Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to reach out to Russia-backed rebels in the east who were fighting Ukrainian forces and make strides toward resolving the conflict. The assurances contributed to his landslide victory in 2019.

But after 2½ years in office, Zelenskyy is watching his once-enormous support dissolve as Ukraine stands on what many fear is the verge of a Russian invasion that would not only take the rebel regions but possibly the rest of the country.

To make matters worse, the incumbent whom Zelenskyy defeated in 2019 has boldly returned to the country to face charges of treason and stir up opposition to him. Analysts, meanwhile, suggest that Moscow is seeking to bolster support among pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine and that the buildup of Russian forces near Ukraine's border is aimed partly at destabilizing the country's politics.

Britain's intelligence services claimed last month that Russia was seeking to overthrow Zelenskyy's government and replace him with the leader of a small party that opposes Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO and the European Union.