Politico named Trump the most powerful man in Europe: where do Zelenskyy and Putin stand?

The European edition of the American publication Politico in its rating of the most influential people in Europe, which is traditionally published at the end of the year, put the US president in the first place Donald Trump.

The media outlet writes that in compiling this ranking, it concluded that "no one has exerted more influence in or on Europe this year than the U.S. president".

"Trying to describe Europe’s relationship with Donald Trump has become a full-time diplomatic exercise. Is he a partner? Occasionally. A threat? At times. A force reshaping the relationship on his own terms? Always. What’s clear is that Europe is dealing with an unpredictable, dominating partner whose impulses can upend the continent overnight," the journalists believe.

They characterized the US president as a "transatlantic shockwave". He is followed by Denmark's prime minister Mette Frederiksen, her German colleague Friedrich Merz and a pro-Russian French politician Marine Le Pen.

The dictator of the aggressor country Vladimir Putin rounds out the top five. Politico calls him a "provocateur," citing, among other things, Russian violations of NATO airspace and drone provocations in Europe.

"The question for NATO and the European Union is: Will Putin’s pressure ultimately make these alliances stronger? Or will the Russian president succeed in shattering the foundations on which they were built? Either way, Putin has already achieved part of his aim: throwing Europe off balance and making it clear he’s the one person nobody on the continent can ignore," the newspaper writes.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ranked 14th in the rankings, Politico dubbed him "the joker in the deck."

The media recalls Zelenskyy's February conflict with Trump in the White House and the subsequent restoration of their relationship.

"Few believed relations could be repaired – but to the Ukrainian leader’s credit, they were. Coaching and interventions from Britain’s [prime minister] helped Keir Starmer, Finland’s [president] Alexander Stubb and the NATO secretary general Mark Rutte helped, but it was Zelenskyy who learned and adapted. Slowly, improbably, he and Trump have become more aligned," the newspaper notes.

It notes that after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, Zelenskyy "didn’t overreact" and remained open to negotiations.

"And when another U.S.-led effort in the fall resulted in a plan that, in its original 28-point leaked version, heavily favored Moscow, he [Ukrainian president] kept his cool and pledged to keep doing "constructive work" to amend the plan and reach 'a dignified peace,'" the publication describes.

However, Politico also mentions the Midas anti-corruption investigation, which "has inched dangerously close to him, leading him to fire his arch-powerful chief of staff Andriy Yermak".

"Over the summer, Zelenskyy had tried to strip the two key anti-corruption agencies – the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption prosecutor’s Office –  of their independence. The move triggered mass street protests, the first since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and forced him into an embarrassing retreat," the media outlet writes.

According to him, the internal scandal has seriously undermined the president's position, and now he "has to deal with that while still trying to clinch a peace agreement that won’t send him straight into Putin’s claws."

"The Ukrainian president has grown used to playing defense. He will need all his adaptation skills to survive the next chapter," Politico concludes.

In total, the list of the most influential people includes 28 people. The media outlet also added a list of 10 people to watch, including the director of the NABU Semen Kryvonos.

• Meanwhile, Trump said that the understanding that Ukraine would not be a NATO member was allegedly long before Russia's demands, and that Zelenskyy's words about returning the temporarily occupied Crimea were "not very nice".