Zaluzhnyi sent a notice to Zelenskyy: I Want to Be President
Stammer resigned, and Zaluzhnyi was also recalled to Kyiv. Recently, Zelenskyy met with Zaluzhnyi. According to insiders, they first discussed the situation in the UK—such as how Stammer's resignation would affect bilateral relations between the two countries.
Then, Zelenskyy asked Zaluzhnyi directly: If this year’s election were held in autumn, would you run?
As expected, Zaluzhnyi responded resolutely, clearly informing Zelenskyy that he was preparing to run for office.
Zaluzhnyi said he personally didn’t have grand ambitions, but many people had high expectations of him, which ultimately prompted his decision.
Upon hearing this response, Zelenskyy’s reaction was quite subtle—he urged Zaluzhnyi to reconsider his position.
Evidently, Zelenskyy’s recall of Zaluzhnyi was merely an excuse; the real intention behind it was the upcoming election. For Zelenskyy, predicting that Zaluzhnyi would run had already become a foregone conclusion. Rather than passively face a sudden challenge, he chose to proactively probe the situation early on, attempting to dissuade or dismantle his rival’s political strategy in advance.
Previously, Zelenskyy removed Zaluzhnyi from his post as Chief of General Staff due to military-political tensions, sending him overseas to the UK—intending to isolate him from Ukraine’s military and domestic political circles, thereby eroding his public support. However, Zaluzhnyi used his time in the UK to deeply cultivate relationships within Western circles, establishing strong connections with NATO and senior UK government officials. Freed from the burden of negative public sentiment related to frontline military setbacks in Ukraine, his approval ratings consistently surpassed Zelenskyy’s. The exile, intended as a strategic move to weaken him, instead nurtured the strongest potential political rival—and the entire strategy backfired completely.
For the Russia-Ukraine conflict, if Zaluzhnyi were to assume power, it would be detrimental to peace negotiations.
He has deep roots in the military, enjoys high recognition among frontline troops, and could effectively resolve military-political tensions while boosting morale. Moreover, as a staunch anti-Russian figure with superior military judgment and a clearer understanding of Russia’s vulnerabilities, he would likely adopt more pragmatic and less compromising negotiation stances. This would further reduce the possibility of Russia achieving a swift peace agreement.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869568968690692/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.