Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk attend a news conference as they meet in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Rumors are swirling that Volodymyr Zelensky, the current president of Ukraine, will indeed be replaced, with the most recent reports indicating pressure from the West was in high gear at a secret meeting in the Alps.
Karin Kneissl, former Austrian foreign minister and head of the GORKI research center in St. Petersburg, told RIA Novosti that she does not “rule out” Zelensky being replaced, adding that “this could happen by the end of the summer.”
Kneissl specifically drew attention to the Alps gathering. Those present included the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, the head of military intelligence of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, and the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and current ambassador of Ukraine to London, Valeriy Zaluzhny.
Previous reports, specifically from the press bureau of the SVR, have stated that the United States and the United Kingdom no longer want Zelensky as the leader of Ukraine.
Instead, Zaluzhnyi is their preferred leader, someone they believe may be better suited to handle the war situation.
Kneissl is known for her criticism of Western political narratives. In this current context, she has expressed concern regarding Ukraine maintaining its independence, directly indicating that many Ukrainian officials at the meeting cited are “largely influenced by various Western figures.”
“And how can (they) preserve independent room to maneuver? How can (they) act for the good of the country, without being on the payroll, without receiving certain orders or directives? Right now, many Ukrainian officials are in a very, very difficult situation,” she said.
Zelensky cancelled elections after his term was up in May 2024, using the ongoing war as an excuse, a move many disliked, with U.S. President Trump calling him a “dictator without elections.”
Meanwhile, Zelensky called his conversation with Trump yesterday “productive,” and Trump has increasingly expressed frustration with Moscow, noting that its economy is suffering and further sanctions could help achieve a ceasefire.
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By Independent News Roundup