--- title: "Zelensky Trust Rating Rises After Trump Dispute" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/zelensky-trust-rating-rises-after-trump-dispute" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/zelensky-trust-rating-rises-after-trump-dispute" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/zelensky-trust-rating-rises-after-trump-dispute.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/zelensky-trust-rating-rises-after-trump-dispute" category: "Politics" area: "Ukraine" published: "2026-10-20T13:45:58.569Z" source_reported: "2026-10-20T13:23:28.000Z" updated: "2026-10-20T13:45:58.569Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 60 hype_score: 40 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-20T14:45:14.715Z" --- # Zelensky Trust Rating Rises After Trump Dispute *A poll shows a 14-percentage-point increase in Ukrainian President Zelensky's trust rating following public disagreements with Donald Trump.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and four digests corroborate the poll results; one report names the polling institute. - Craft 60 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and four digests cover the story; one report names the polling institute and its methodology. - Hype 40 of 100, lower is better. Headlines use phrases like 'icy' and 'pressure campaign' but the body is largely factual. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's trust rating rose 14 percentage points to 57% following a public dispute with Donald Trump. - Donald Trump agreed to purchase Russian diesel and paused sanctions, according to reports. - US senators confirmed disruptions to Starlink satellite links and US intelligence sharing. - South Korea is withdrawing some embassy staff from Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's trust rating increased by 14 percentage points to 57% following a public dispute with Donald Trump. The poll, conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), surveyed 1,031 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older. Between October 8 and 9, 43% of respondents trusted Zelensky, while 52% did not. By October 10-16, his trust rating rose to 57%, with 39% distrusting him. The overall figures for the full survey period (October 8-16) showed 54% trusting Zelensky. The dispute involved Donald Trump agreeing to purchase Russian diesel and pausing sanctions, actions reported by The Independent and The Kyiv Independent. US senators confirmed disruptions to Starlink satellite links and US intelligence sharing, according to The Independent. In separate diplomatic developments, South Korea is withdrawing some embassy staff from Kyiv, as reported by The Independent and The Kyiv Independent. ## Disagreement on poll timing The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) poll surveyed Ukrainians between October 8 and 16. The Kyiv Independent reported that Zelensky's trust rating rose to 57% between October 10 and 16, from 43% between October 8 and 9. The Independent stated that Zelensky's trust rating surged by 14 percentage points to 57% following the public dispute with Trump, without specifying the exact dates of the poll's measurement periods. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mention the detail that Donald Trump agreed a deal to purchase Russian diesel and paused sanctions, a fact reported by The Independent. The left-rated reports did not mention South Korea withdrawing some embassy staff from Kyiv, a fact reported by The Independent and The Kyiv Independent. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 83% (5) - Centre: 17% (1) - Right: 0% (0) 2 of 8 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-20T14:45:14.715Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-20T16:00:53.568Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Four left-rated reports focused on the rise in Zelensky's trust rating. United24media, Kyiv Post, and charter97.org all highlighted the increase to 57% following US pressure or conflict with Trump. United24media and Kyiv Post noted the poll was conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. Kyiv Post included a warning from the institute that the increase might not last, attributing it to a potential “rally-around-the-flag” effect. Charter97.org stated that Ukrainians supported the President in the conflict with Trump. ### Centre - The centre-rated report from The Kyiv Independent detailed the poll's findings, stating Zelensky's trust rating rose by 14 percentage points to 57% after US President Donald Trump began a pressure campaign. It provided specific figures from the KIIS poll, showing a shift from 43% trust to 57% trust between October 8-9 and October 10-16. The report also noted Trump's plan to purchase Russian diesel and his order for Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries. It mentioned South Korea withdrawing embassy staff from Kyiv due to a dispute over Ukraine's public disclosure of North Korean prisoners of war. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 4 - unknown: 2 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Zambian Observer](https://zambianobserver.com/trust-in-zelenskyy-rises-as-ukrainians-rally-under-u-s-pressure) — TRUST IN ZELENSKYY RISES AS UKRAINIANS RALLY UNDER U.S. PRESSURE - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/bulletin/news/ukraine-russia-war-zelensky-trump-b3069946.html) — Zelensky’s approval rating up as relations with Trump turn icy - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/ukraine-russia-war-zelensky-trump-b3069946.html) — Zelensky’s approval rating up as relations with Trump turn icy - [United24](https://united24media.com/life-in-ukraine/trust-in-zelenskyy-rises-to-57-following-us-pressure-on-kyiv-survey-shows-23640) — Trust in Zelenskyy Rises to 57% Following US Pressure on Kyiv, Survey Shows - [Kyiv Post](https://kyivpost.com/post/87626) — Trust in Zelensky Rises to 57% After US Pressure, Poll Finds - [charter97.org](https://charter97.org/ru/news/2026/10/20/702523) — The Ranking of Zelensky Has Grown Considerably. - [The Kyiv Independent](https://kyivindependent.com/zelenskys-trust-rating-surges-amid-trumps-pressure-campaign-poll-finds) — Zelensky's trust rating surges amid Trump's pressure campaign, poll finds - [liga.net](https://news.liga.net/ua/politics/news/riven-doviry-do-zelenskoho-zris-na-tli-krytyky-z-boku-trampa-opytuvannia) — Trust in Zelensky Rises Amid Criticism From Trump ## Questions **What was President Zelensky's trust rating?** President Zelensky's trust rating rose by 14 percentage points to 57% following a public dispute with Donald Trump. The poll, conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, showed that between October 8 and 9, 43% of Ukrainians trusted Zelensky, and this figure increased to 57% between October 10 and 16. **What was the nature of the dispute between Zelensky and Trump?** The dispute involved Donald Trump agreeing to purchase Russian diesel and pausing sanctions. Reports also indicated that US senators confirmed disruptions to Starlink satellite links and US intelligence sharing. Trump had also repeatedly criticised Zelensky, suggesting Ukraine should find someone else to negotiate peace. **Which organisations were involved in reporting this story?** The story was reported by The Independent, The Kyiv Independent, United24, Kyiv Post, charter97.org, and liga.net. The poll itself was conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/zelensky-trust-rating-rises-after-trump-dispute. 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