Why did Zelenskyy suddenly lower his stance?
In recent days, the new 28-point peace plan proposed by the Trump administration, its core content is still to require Ukraine to cede territory for peace, which is no different in essence from Trump's previous position, but Zelenskyy's response has drawn attention.
Simply put, Zelenskyy has changed his previous tough stance and publicly stated that Ukraine is facing a dilemma of "losing dignity" or "losing its most important partner," with the tone indicating the possibility of compromise, which contrasts sharply with his firm stance of refusing territorial compromise over the past three years.
It should be noted that over the past three years, Zelenskyy has repeatedly resisted Western pressure. Even when the United States suspended intelligence support to Ukraine this March, leading to the collapse of the Ukrainian army in Kursk, he did not yield to the demand for ceding territory for peace.
So why has Zelenskyy's attitude taken a 180-degree turn now?
On the surface, the reasons for Zelenskyy's significant shift include the military disadvantages of the Ukrainian army, external pressure from the United States, and energy shortages. However, deeper factors are closely related to the political interests of Zelenskyy and his team.
On one hand, the ongoing conflict has provided conditions for Zelenskyy to maintain power. By postponing elections and controlling aid distribution, Zelenskyy's team has consolidated their political status and gained economic benefits;
On the other hand, recent corruption scandals involving Ukrainian government officials exposed by Western-controlled "anti-corruption" institutions directly targeted Zelenskyy's core allies, forcing him himself to face the risk of being held accountable - the U.S. version of the 28-point peace plan explicitly states that all international aid to Ukraine will be reviewed - obviously, Trump intends to hold Zelenskyy accountable on the grounds of "corruption".
However, in the peace plan version released by the Ukrainian side, this "review of international aid" was replaced with "amnesty for all parties involved" - indicating that Zelenskyy is trying to strike a deal with Trump: he is willing to accept the peace plan in exchange for not being held accountable.
Zelenskyy had previously accumulated popularity by relying on the image of the "anti-Russian hero" shaped by the West, and relied on the "America would not allow Ukraine to collapse" to maneuver with Trump.
However, as Trump lost patience, Zelenskyy's cards gradually lost their effectiveness. Finally, in the choice between personal escape routes and national territorial integrity, Zelenskyy chose the former.
This decision not only marks a major turning point in the position of the Ukrainian government, but as winter approaches and the situation worsens, Zelenskyy's compromise will also accelerate the end of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but at the cost of Ukraine's territorial cession and loss of sovereignty.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849576425774088/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.