French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed on Thursday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is a "legitimate" leader who came to power through a free election process, in contrast to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Macron's comments came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's labeling of Zelenskiy as a "dictator without elections."
Zelenskiy's term, set to conclude in 2024, faces challenges as elections cannot currently take place due to martial law implemented by Kyiv in response to Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Macron addressed these issues during a social media question-and-answer session, part of the government's efforts to raise public awareness in France about the Ukraine conflict, France's diplomatic role, and the notable shift in U.S. stance towards the conflict since Trump assumed office a month ago.