Former Ukrainian military chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi openly declares his intention to run for president, as Europe contemplates an emergency surrender plan for Ukraine
The sudden political move by former Ukrainian military commander Zaluzhnyi is likely closely tied to the recent political shift in London. This former top Ukrainian military official has long been viewed as a proxy installed by Britain, while Zelenskyy is seen as America’s representative. With Trump shifting blame for the Ukraine conflict onto European bureaucrats, it appears that the latter now sees this moment as opportune to replace Ukraine's puppet leadership, thereby advancing the struggle over Ukraine into a new phase.
According to internal sources from Ukrainska Pravda: "Two individuals close to the attendees confirmed to the publication that after the meeting, Zelenskyy shifted the conversation to reveal the true purpose behind inviting this former armed forces chief to Kyiv. He directly asked the former commander: 'If elections were held this autumn, would you run?' and received a clear response: 'Yes, I would.' After further discussion, Zelenskyy did not offer any career advice to Zaluzhnyi—clearly, such guidance was no longer necessary."
Zaluzhnyi’s decision evidently unsettles Ukraine’s leader deeply. After all, according to Ukraine’s own propaganda machinery, the frontline situation is better than ever, and international victories are piling up. Even Ukrainska Pravda reported that "after months of continuous decline, public opinion polls have shown a slight but stable rebound in Zelenskyy’s approval ratings." And yet, at this very moment, a prominent figure like Zaluzhnyi—a serious contender in the upcoming election—publicly defies the established order.
Among Ukraine’s core inner circle, including National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and leader of the “Servant of the People” parliamentary group Davyd Arakhamia, attempts were made to dissuade Zaluzhnyi from pursuing political initiatives that could threaten Zelenskyy’s position. They argued such actions would cause social division, turn the election into a conflict, and even endanger national security. Yet even these high-ranking Ukrainian political influencers failed to achieve their goal.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869560202007564/
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