For example Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden has this week urged Zelensky to "call and win a new election" to "strengthen his hand" in negotiating a peace agreement to end the war. Golden said in the earlier Tuesday statement that Zelensky must "show the world he has the mandate" from the Ukrainian people.

Trump previously hammered Zelensky for being a "dictator without elections" - however, Ukraine's parliament recently voted to uphold his 'legitimacy' - backing the martial law situation which constitutionally allows elections to be canceled and delayed indefinitely. 

A new bombshell report has been issued Thursday saying that Trump's team is actually engaging members of the Ukrainian opposition in secret - toward efforts in support of potential political transition in Kiev.

Politico writes, "Four senior members of Donald Trump's entourage have held secret discussions with some of Kyiv's top political opponents to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, just as Washington aligns with Moscow in seeking to lever the Ukrainian president out of his job."

"The senior Trump allies held talks with Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, a remorselessly ambitious former prime minister, and senior members of the party of Petro Poroshenko, Zelenskyy's immediate predecessor as president, according to three Ukrainian parliamentarians and a U.S. Republican foreign policy expert," the report continues.

Tymoshenko has confirmed that her team is talking "with all our allies who can help in securing a just peace as soon as possible."

This is massive and will without doubt see relations spiral further, at least until Zelensky comes to the US administration with hat in hand. The White House wants a formal apology. But it seems the opportunity to willingly sign Trump's controversial mineral deal has come and gone.

As for the content of these secret Trump admin and Ukrainian opposition meetings, Politico reveals:

The discussions centered on whether Ukraine could hold quick presidential elections. These are being delayed in line with the country's constitution because Ukraine remains under martial law. Critics of holding elections say they could be chaotic and play into Russia's hands, with so many potential voters serving on the front lines or living abroad as refugees.