Maine Democrat urges Zelensky to 'call and win a new election'

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to “call and win a new election” to “strengthen his hand” in negotiating a peace agreement to end the three-year war in Eastern Europe.

Golden, a battleground district Democrat, praised Ukrainian soldiers for “bravely” fighting against Russian troops but argued that a prolonged war of “attrition” would make Kyiv’s outcome “worse, not better.”

“If the Ukrainians still have the will to fight, no one will be able to force a peace deal on them that they don’t like,” Golden said in a statement on Tuesday.

“But if peace is on the table, as President Zelenskyy indicated just today, then he should do what it takes to strengthen his hand in negotiating a deal his people can accept,” Golden stated. “One way to do that is to call and win a new election — to show the world he has the mandate to negotiate on behalf of his people.”

Tensions have been bubbling up between Trump and Zelensky even before their explosive fallout on Friday in the Oval Office.

Trump previously hammered Zelensky over his leadership of the nation, calling him a “dictator without elections,” doing a “terrible job” as the head of the war-torn country and blaming Ukraine for starting the war.

Zelensky fired back, claiming Trump was living in a Russian “disinformation space.”

The commander-in-chief also questioned why Zelensky did not hold a country-wide election.

“Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and ‘TRUMP,’ will never be able to settle,” Trump previously wrote on Truth Social.

Because of the marital law imposed after Russia’s February 2022 invasion, Ukraine’s presidential election was postponed.

On Tuesday morning, Zelensky described his heated meeting at the White House Friday with Trump and Vice President Vance as “regrettable,” but stopped short of offering an apology over the huddle that appeared to strain the relations between Washington and Kyiv.

Ukraine’s president also said in the Tuesday social media post that Kyiv is ready to negotiate a peace deal to put an end to the conflict in Eastern Europe.

“Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format,” Zelensky wrote. “We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.”

Golden said on Tuesday that Trump’s push to secure peace between the two sides is “appropriate,” but also added that Russia still is a “threat” to America.

“Pushing for peace is appropriate for President Trump, but whatever he does to help bring an end to this war should keep in mind the truth that Russia has been, and continues to be, a threat to America,” Golden said on Tuesday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Ukraine’s ardent backers on Capitol Hill, said he was “proud” of Trump and questioned if Washington could still do to “do business” with Zelensky again after Friday's blowup.

“He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change,” Graham added.

The South Carolina lawmaker seemed to commend Zelensky for his Tuesday X post, saying that “Better days are ahead.”

Topics

Sununu urges Zelensky to 'be careful' not to anger Trump

Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a recent interview to “be careful” not to anger President Trump. His warning comes as the two ...
The Hill - Feb. 22
GOP senators urge Trump to salvage negotiations with Zelensky despite 'disappointing' blowup

Republican lawmakers are urging President Trump to salvage negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in hopes of reaching a peace deal that halts Russian encroachment and possibly ...
The Hill - 15h
Frustrated Democrats Urge Leaders to Show More Fight Against Trump

Voters, activists and even some governors, like Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, are growing exasperated with congressional Democrats’ restrained approach.
The New York Times - Feb. 22
Senate Democrats urge Trump administration to end Colorado River funding freeze

Senate Democrats from the U.S. West on Monday urged the Department of the Interior to end a funding freeze that could endanger the flow of the Colorado River. The lawmakers, from California, Nevada ...
The Hill - 1d
Trump on calling Zelensky a dictator: 'Did I say that?'

President Trump on Thursday backtracked on his recent sharp criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the U.S. aims to strike a deal to end the war between Kyiv and Moscow. Trump, ...
The Hill - 5d
Colorado Democrats call for independent investigation of NOAA firings

Colorado Sens. John Hickenlooper (D) and Michael Bennet (D), and Rep. Joe Neguse (D) called for an independent investigation Friday into this week’s mass firings at the National Oceanic and ...
The Hill - 4d
Maher: Democrats will 'lose every election' without shift on trans issues

Comedian Bill Maher predicted Democrats will “lose every election” without a shift on transgender issues, a culture war debate that President Trump made a focus of his winning 2024 campaign. Maher ...
The Hill - Feb. 25
DC-area Democrats urge RFK Jr. to reinstate fired NIH, HSS staff

Washington, D.C.-area Democrats are urging Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reinstate the staff fired from HSS and the National Institute of Health. ...
The Hill - 4h
Karl Rove: Putin wins in Trump-Zelensky dispute

Republican strategist Karl Rove believes Russian President Putin is the only winner in the public spat between President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Ukrainian President Zelensky in the Oval ...
The Hill - 4d