During almost two years of Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has earned the reputation of being a great communicator.
But in recent days he has been uncharacteristically vague and evasive on issues of major concern both within his beleaguered country and among its Western supporters, thereby raising questions about what is going on behind the scenes in Kyiv.
In the present situation this is both confusing and demoralizing. Indeed, it is setting off alarm bells about the implications.
The President has permitted rumors to abound both at home and abroad about his purported wish to replace the highly respected Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny.
Not only has the Ukrainian leader fueled speculation by failing to clarify his position on this extremely sensitive matter but has now intensified the intrigue by telling the Italian national broadcaster Rai 1 in an interview this weekend that nothing less than the “replacement of a number of senior officials of the state” is required.
President Zelensky elaborated that he was not talking about the need to replace a specific individual, but something “more serious,” of a “new start” involving the replacement the people “who should be heading the country.”
Who, in addition to military commanders, is the president referring to? The Prime Minister? What, or who, is not working properly?
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Ukraine’s citizens deserve to know why all of a sudden, in the midst of a horrific war, such a reset is required.
After 10 years of armed conflict with Russia, and 2 years of existential threat, it is critical for Ukraine to maintain morale and the fighting spirit at home and the confidence of its allies and supporters abroad.
President Zelensky has responsibility to ensure that this happens, that any “reset” is properly justified, and consistency does not give way to disarray.
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Comments (2)
Zelensky is the one who should make way for more competent leadership. He's been in over his head since day one. The guy refused to increase the size of Ukraine's armed forces because he didn't want to cause panic in the population with "unpopular measures", to quote Zaluzhny. It's either an existential war or it isn't. If it is, act accordingly. Meanwhile tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline have been fighting 24/7 for months if not years.
Ukraine's economy hasn't switched to a full wartime mode, and production of war materials is well below what it could have been with a seriously effort starting in Feb 2022. That's on Zelensky and his team. Yet he looks for the blame elsewhere because he can't admit his approach is misguided and failing. Typical.
It would be great if Zelensky demoted Zaluzhny, only to have Zaluzhny unleash a coup d'état and took the Power, fully supported by all the the Armed Forces and Ukrainian population.
If Zelensky is behaving like a spoiled child with a tantrum and putting his own whims before the survival of the country, out with him urgently! Zaluzhny is more than capable of taking the helm. Better than Zelenski, actually.
@Duarte Simões, nice try Ruzbot. You get a potato for you efforts. Hope you are in the next meat wave.
@Ruzbot Destroyer, well tbh, I think Russia would worry more if Zaluzhny was at the helm