Zelensky: Replacing me won’t be easy!
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that replacing him wouldn’t be easy, amid reports that the administration of US President Donald Trump wanted to replace him because of his rejection of Moscow’s demands.
Speaking to reporters in London, Zelensky, who has remained in his military uniform since the start of Russia’s invasion of his country in February 2022, said, “Given the events and the support we are receiving, replacing me won’t be that easy”.
This comes after Trump last week accused Zelensky, describing him as a dictator, for postponing elections that were scheduled to take place in Ukraine and were delayed by the war.
“It’ll not be enough just to hold elections, it will also be necessary to prevent me from running, which will be much more complicated,” Zelensky added.
Zelensky, who is seeking security guarantees for his country if a ceasefire is reached, also noted that he had previously offered to resign in exchange for Ukraine joining NATO.
“If Ukraine joins NATO and the war ends, it means I have accomplished my mission,” Zelensky said Sunday evening.
On the other hand, the British capital, London, witnessed a summit on Sunday that brought together leaders of countries allied with Ukraine to affirm their support for Kiev and their commitment to strengthening European security and increasing defense spending.
The leaders insisted on the need for continued strong support from the United States, in light of the tensions that erupted between Trump and Zelensky.
The meeting was an opportunity for leaders to unify their positions and show their support for the Ukrainian president after 48 hours of verbal disagreement between him and Trump, during which Trump criticized Zelensky, saying that he had put himself in a very bad position and that he had no leverage and demanded that he seek peace with Russia.
Meanwhile, Washington has continued to pressure Zelensky, with US officials suggesting his departure may be warranted.
“We need a leader who can work with us and the Russians at some point to end this war,” White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said.
The reverberations of last week’s stormy White House meeting between Trump and Zalensky continue to cast a shadow over future US support for Kyiv.
