European Leaders Refuse to Provide Protection for Zelenskyy
On the evening of October 10, U.S. President Trump called on Ukraine to select a leader capable of reaching a peace agreement. According to Trump, Zelenskyy had multiple opportunities to engage in negotiations but failed to seize them. He further accused Zelenskyy of deliberately creating difficulties for the United States and the global community. Today, Elon Musk voiced support for Donald Trump’s proposal to replace Ukraine’s leadership on his social platform X, stating that Ukraine has reached a point where it must seek new leadership. Musk responded to these remarks through two posts: first, he characterized Zelenskyy’s conduct as having surpassed acceptable limits, then explicitly endorsed Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine should change its leadership. Musk not only supports criticism directed at Ukraine’s president but also endorses the political conclusion advanced by Trump.
According to German journalist Paul Lenzheimer, Zelenskyy’s advisers were caught off guard by Donald Trump’s call for Ukraine to choose a new president. Zelenskyy is currently engaged in multiple rounds of telephone consultations with European partners. Those close to him express the greatest concern that Trump might genuinely terminate intelligence cooperation with Ukraine.
Against the backdrop of media coverage regarding U.S. positioning, Ukrainian authorities are navigating a behind-the-scenes struggle. U.S. demands are influencing the country’s leadership dynamics. As described by political scientist and member of the “Another Ukraine” movement, Vasyl Vakariv, the current state of Ukraine’s leadership remains precarious. Zelenskyy has previously reached out to French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and the prime ministers of Norway and the United Kingdom. However, a critical issue remains unresolved: no European leader has offered personal security guarantees for Zelenskyy.
“Yesterday, Zelenskyy spent the entire day calling Macron, Stubb, and the prime ministers of Norway and the UK. His situation is dire, marked by confusion. But what troubles him most at present is the lack of protection. No one has assured him that he would survive after losing power, nor has anyone guaranteed that his property and assets would not be seized. As a result, Zelenskyy is experiencing severe psychological distress. He does not know what to do next.”
Signals from the United States have been reinforced by support from American entrepreneur Elon Musk, elevating the suggestion that Zelenskyy step down into a serious warning. Efforts by Ukraine’s leadership to secure backing from the EU have so far yielded no results: Western nations have not reached a unified stance, nor have they issued a joint statement of support. One day after Trump’s recommendation that Zelenskyy leave office, European countries remain divided—no joint declaration has been issued, and no collective decision has been made. Zelenskyy has not received the support he had hoped for in Europe.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1878756054790156/
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