| Welcome to the weekend issue of Brussels Edition, Bloomberg's daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union. Join us on Saturdays for deeper dives from our bureaus across Europe. KYIV — February is a sad month in Ukraine, when the nation pays tribute to more than 100 civilians killed by riot police in street protests that toppled its pro-Russian president in 2014. It's also the month when Russia first began annexing the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and then in 2022 launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.This timing made it all the more shocking — and painful — when President Donald Trump turned on Volodymyr Zelenskiy this week, calling him a dictator with a 4% approval rating and demanding elections.  People march in memory of the people killed during the anti-government demonstration of 2014, in downtown Kyiv. Photographer: Roman Pilpey/AFP The accusations were all too familiar in Kyiv, which has been bombarded with the same lines in a coordinated Russian propaganda effort. Trump even suggested there's no need for Zelenskiy to take part in US-Russia peace talks. Ukrainians reacted mostly by rallying around Zelenskiy — whose approval rating stands around 57% — with even his critics saying elections cannot be held during wartime and that a stable peace is needed for a fair and democratic vote. "Trump's unpredictability is very scary," said Serhiy, a trauma doctor who declined to give his last name. "But we shall do what we must do and rely on ourselves. Every time we hoped someone will come and sort out our problems, it ended badly. And only we can scold Zelenskiy and criticize him. Our nation elected him and it is our business." Ukraine's troops on the battlefield, where Russia has making very slow but steady gains in the grinding war, say they're also ready to keep fighting. "I am an opponent to Zelenskiy, however, in this situation I am supporting him, against Trump's and Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims," says Taras Gaevych, a 37 year-old junior sergeant, now deployed to the Donetsk region. "Of course, I am ready to continue fighting, and I did not hear any other views from my mates." He added, "There is no panic that Trump may sell us off, the main thing is to continue getting rounds." EU foreign ministers are meeting Monday, where they're expected to discuss a new military aid package for Ukraine, while several of the bloc's defense ministers are holding a virtual call.  Donald Trump Photographer: Megan Briggs/Getty Images North America Trump invective toward Zelenskiy reminded Ukrainians that Trump has held a grudge against the former comedian since his first term in office. In 2019, Trump demanded that Zelenskiy open an investigation against Joe Biden's family in exchange for military support. That phone call was at the center of Trump's first impeachment trial. Now, with the backdrop of fresh US-Russia talks, Trump is pressing Zelenskiy for a new quid pro quo: access to Ukraine's valuable critical minerals. — Daryna Krasnolutska, Kyiv bureau chief | 
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