UKRAINE’S “Iron General” has hinted he is ready to take over as President from Zelensky if the US forces Kyiv into running elections.
Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, 51, led Ukraine’s army into the war as Commander-in-Chief in 2022, and is touted as Zelensky’s most likely successor, according to reports.
General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s army, refused to deny he wants Volodymyr Zelensky’s job[/caption]
President Donald Trump, speaking here at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, has tripled down on his scathing criticism of Zelensky[/caption]
Zelensky said Trump has been duped by Russian ‘disinformation’[/caption]
The US President yesterday called for elections in Kyiv before any ceasefire deal is reached, claiming Zelensky’s approval rating is languishing at four percent.
Trump cranked up the temperature again today with a blistering attack on Zelensky, who he branded a “dictator” and “moderately successful comedian”.
He accused the Ukrainian leader of tricking the US into “spending $350billion to go into a war that couldn’t be won”, as he welcomes Putin back in from the cold.
And there are signs that Trump has his sights set on former commander Zaluzhnyi to take over from the current President, with whom he has so sensationally fallen out.
Russian state media programme Vesta said: “The most suitable candidate to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is considered in the United States to be former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army Valeriy Zaluzhnyi.”
There is reason to believe the Kremlin has insight into Trump’s mindset after Putin’s 90-minute call with the American President last week, and a diplomatic meeting between the countries yesterday.
Zaluzhnyi was ousted from the top military job last February by Zelensky and redeployed as Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
This followed a spat between the two men, following Zaluzhnyi’s claims the war had hit a stalemate and a Ukrainian breakthrough was unlikely.
He regularly outpolls Zelensky, whose own approval remains much higher by most polls than the four percent Trump cited.
One recent poll chalked Zelensky as coming second on 24 per cent to Zaluzhnyi on 36 per cent, if elections were run now.
And the general-turned ambassador did not deny he would go for the top job, if the opportunity arose.
He said: “In order to answer this question, let’s first get the conditions under which such a question would be absolutely appropriate.
“These conditions will come, then I, as a person who is in public service and works directly for the state, will be ready to answer such a question.
“For now, we have only one task – to survive and preserve our country.
War on the frontline continues to rage amid the political squabbling[/caption]
Asked if his eyes are on Zelensky’s job, Zaluzhnyi said the focus must remain on surviving the war[/caption]
Zaluzhnyi was Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s army, before Zelenky ousted him following a spat[/caption]
“And after that, we will think about other things.”
Zaluzhnyi could be seen as an attractive replacement with his impressive military record and, as of this past year, his experience of high-stakes diplomacy.
He was recently pictured meeting the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Kyiv.
Ukraine could benefit from a fresh face, without the uncomfortable history that Zelensky has with Trump, according to CNN.
Zelensky swiped back at Trump, accusing the President of falling for Russian “disinformation”.
He said: “Unfortunately, President Trump, with all due respect for him as the leader of a nation that we respect greatly … is living in this disinformation space.”
Zelensky said he “never comments on popularity ratings, especially my own or other leaders”, but followed up by citing a score of 57 per cent on a recent trust rating poll.
He concluded on a defiant note: “So if anyone wants to replace me right now, that will not work.”
Ukrainian sources said Zelensky’s score rating was “4-5 per cent higher than the level of trust of Americans in President Trump”.
Russia maintains that Zelensky’s leadership is “illegitimate”, because it is sustained by martial law – declared in response to Putin’s invasion.
He has remained in office beyond the five years mandated by the last election, which expired in 2024.
But this is a protocol built-in to Ukraine’s constitution.
Who is Valeriy Zaluzhnyi?
By Patrick Harrington, foreign news reporter
VALERIY Zaluzhnyi is the man being touted as the most likely successor to Zelensky if Ukraine holds Presidential elections – and there are signs he could be Trump’s preference for the job.
Zaluzhnyi, 51, led Ukraine’s army into the war when it began in 2022 as Commander in Chief.
He was then ousted from this role by Zelensky in February 2024, and redeployed as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK.
The reshuffle followed a public spat between the two men over Zaluzhnyi’s comments that the war had hit a stalemate and a Ukrainian breakthrough was unlikely.
Zelensky warned that military generals should not involve themselves in politics because it put national security at risk.
As leader of the army, he was oversaw the training of new recruits, who he said must learn to kill Russians “without hesitation”.
General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi told troops at a bootcamp in England: “When you see the enemy, kill him before he tries to kill you or your comrade.”
Zaluzhnyi was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
He received wide praise for his leadership during the first two years of war, with his skill for “adapting to a fast-changing battlefield” attracting particular recognition.
