Once the West’s great hero, Zelensky is now fighting to keep a divided world on his side

Warsaw: As Volodymyr Zelensky considers whether to join world leaders in The Hague for this week’s NATO summit, he does so at a moment of deep uncertainty – not only for Ukraine’s war effort, but for the cohesion of the Western alliance itself.

Once embraced as the heroic figure of democratic resistance, the Ukrainian president now steps onto a global stage that is more divided, more fatigued, and more politically fragile than at any point since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

Volodymyr Zelensky leaves 10 Downing Street after meeting Keir Starmer.Credit: Getty Images

New polling from the Pew Research Centre released on Monday captures the scale of that shift.

Across 25 countries, global confidence in Zelensky is now evenly split: a median of 45 per cent of respondents say they trust him to “do the right thing in world affairs”, while 45 per cent say they do not. That is a stark reversal from the early days of 2022, when he was lionised as the embodiment of resolve and courage in the face of Russian aggression.

Zelensky’s appeal remains strong in key parts of Western Europe. In Sweden (85 per cent), the Netherlands (74 per cent), and Germany (64 per cent), he still commands clear public support. In Australia (67 per cent) and France (50 per cent), confidence in the president has ticked up since last year.

But his credibility has slipped in other regions – notably the United States, where it now hovers around 50 per cent, with particularly low ratings among Republican voters. In eight countries, including Greece and Hungary, more respondents say they trust Vladimir Putin more than Zelensky – a remarkable and sobering data point, even though the Russian president’s overall global reputation remains overwhelmingly negative.

Zelensky travelled to the United Kingdom on Monday in a bid to shore up international backing and send a signal of diplomatic continuity.

In London, he was welcomed to Windsor Castle for lunch with King Charles while a red carpet was rolled out for his arrival at 10 Downing Street, where he embraced Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on the steps.

Notably, Zelensky ditched his trademark military fatigues for a black blazer and trousers – a subtle shift that reflected both the gravity of the moment and a calculated diplomatic posture.

His visit came in the shadow of another devastating Russian assault on Ukraine. Overnight, Moscow had launched 352 drones and 16 missiles, killing at least 10 civilians – seven of them in Kyiv. Zelensky accused Russia of using North Korean-supplied missiles, warning that Moscow was now part of what he described as a “coalition of murderers” alongside Iran and North Korea.

Volodymyr Zelensky wore a blazer and trousers to meet King Charles at Windsor Castle on Monday.Credit: Getty Images

While political leaders continue to reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine – Starmer’s office said he would “reiterate our steadfast support” – public sentiment is growing more complex. In democracies where elections loom, support for military aid is increasingly filtered through domestic politics, particularly as right-wing populist movements gain traction. Among Trump-aligned voters around the world, scepticism of Zelensky is rising, as is sympathy, albeit marginal, for Putin.

That change in public mood reflects a deeper strategic recalibration under way in Europe. A report from the European Council on Foreign Relations reveals that majorities across 12 surveyed European Union nations now believe the continent must prepare to defend itself, with or without the United States. In Denmark and Poland, 70 per cent of citizens support increased defence spending. In countries such as Germany, Portugal and even Spain, previously controversial ideas such as mandatory national service now enjoy majority or plurality support.

The council report’s authors, Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard, argue that US President Donald Trump’s re-emergence as the dominant force in Republican politics has accelerated Europe’s reassessment of its own security posture.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer embraces Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at 10 Downing Street.Credit: Getty Images

“Trump’s revolution has come to Europe,” Leonard writes. “It is overturning not just military expectations, but also the internal political order. What was once dismissed as populist fringe thinking has found legitimacy in the rhetoric of the US president.”

Krastev adds that a new ideological alignment is taking shape: “To be pro-European today means to be sceptical of Trump’s America. To be pro-American increasingly means to be critical of the EU.”

Across NATO member states, support for the alliance remains high; a median of 66 per cent view it favourably, according to Pew. But belief in Europe’s capacity to achieve military autonomy is more fragile. Only in Denmark and Portugal do majorities believe that goal is achievable within five years. In Italy and Hungary, more than half say it is “practically impossible”.

For Zelensky, the challenge is twofold. First, he must secure continued military and financial support in an increasingly fragmented West. Second, he must convince NATO allies to offer Ukraine a credible long-term security framework – possibly a path to eventual membership – despite signs of internal drift within the alliance.

Though Zelensky has been invited to attend the NATO summit, he is not expected to participate in the main discussions. His presence remains symbolically powerful, but increasingly peripheral to decision-making. That in itself speaks volumes about the changing dynamics at play.

Where once the Ukrainian president rallied Western leaders with moral clarity, he now must navigate a landscape shaped by shifting alliances, electoral uncertainty and competing definitions of security. His image may still resonate, but it will land on a continent no longer unified in its assumptions – not only about Russia, but about America, NATO and the future of the liberal order.

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