Political scientist Taras Zagorodniy: The Trump team believes that the opposition can become an alternative to Zelensky

Photo: gettyimages.com weukraine.tv

The members of the US President Donald Trump team held secret negotiations with some of the main political opponents of the current Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky – Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko. Journalist Briefly about found out what it could mean in International expert Taras Zagorodny.

The termination of the war is independent of Zelensky – Why Trump’s representatives met with Poroshenko and Tymoshenko, what they want from them – Election and replacement of Zelensky?

Taras Zagorodniy. Photo weukraine.tv/

– I think the American media hastened to report that the Trump administration is preparing a replacement of Vladimir Zelensky. There can be several explanations here. The first: these can be joint consultations on the situation in Ukraine. Second, Trump and his team do not have a real picture of electoral preferences in our country. He said the support of Zelensky is 4%. In fact, he is a leader and has 57% support. As for the elections, there can now be no elections in Ukraine – there is a war. I believe that the press has unreasonably blown this topic. Elections in Ukraine now cannot be held.

– For Trump Zelensky is not the person with whom he wants to negotiate. So, maybe Americans want someone who would make a decision to stop war?

– Zelensky cannot go to such conditions of peace. Putin demands that he be completely given Zaporizhzhya, Kherson, Lugansk and Donetsk regions. And the Ukrainian leader will never go to it. And Trump can’t achieve that. But the pressure on Kyiv is ongoing, although the US administration has no levers on Ukraine. That is why there is a “bombing” of the information that Americans rely on other Ukrainian politicians.

– Or maybe Americans are looking for someone who made unpopular decisions of a capitulative nature?

– The real competitor of Zelensky is only Valery Zaluzhny, but he will never make an unpopular decision to stop the war under Russia. First you need to stop the war, but the Russians make an impossible requirement for this – the refusal of Ukraine to occupy the territories and from accession to NATO.

– And why is the bet on Poroshenko and Tymoshenko?

– These are current opposition policies, and Trump’s team thinks that they can alternative Zelensky. But they cannot organize the elections in any way and have said that elections can only be after ceasefire. Again, it is blown by the American press.

Trump cannot force Ukraine to peace – And will Ukrainian politicians go – Poroshenko and Tymoshenko – to an agreement with Americans to replace Zelensky?

– These are some unmotivated illusions of Americans. And most importantly – Ukrainians are categorically against the elections, how can they be forced to go for it? In addition, they are most likely to vote for Zelensky again. And even if Zaluzhny wins, he also will not go to a separate peace with Russia. Sociology constantly captures it. And Americans will not be able to change this. Therefore, Trump is angry that he does not have any pressure tool on Kyiv.

– Trump’s representative Ilon Musk suggested that Zelensky resign himself and go to a neutral country. How real is Zelensky to go for it?

– He could do it at the beginning of aggression, 2022, but did not go. Why should he go now? Currently, the situation, compared to 2022, is much better. That is, Trump does not have real information about the schedule of forces in Ukraine.

– And what will it end, the dead end comes out?

– So far, a dead end, because Trump is trying to save Russia from economic collapse. The processes of reducing oil prices that beats the Russian economy have already been launched. And the price of oil is already decreasing. OPEC started additional oil production. The price of Russian oil fell to $ 55 per barrel. Tankers with Russian oil are in the sea because no one wants to take it. Oil sanctions against Moscow have come into force since March 12. The United States then drill oil, and Trump launches an economic crisis in Europe, which will hit Russia.

– Why does Trump say that Zelensky is earlier or later, but will still agree to his conditions of peace?

– It’s just words. Because it needs Trump, not Zelensky – our rare materials. In fact, it’s not so easy. In the oval office, the US President told our leader that he has no trump card in negotiations with Russia. Just a day, they begin to persuade Zelensky to sign a contract for rare materials.

But if the President of Ukraine does not have a trump card, then why does the White House persuade him? In addition, Europe has stood up for us. Plus, public opinion in the world and America presses on Trump. Therefore, Americans clearly bend the stick with their demands, and this becomes obvious to everyone.

– That is, you think that Trump does not prepare an alternative to Zelensky in Poroshenko and Tymoshenko?

– Alternative Zelensky is only Zaluzhny, but he will not find himself until the election. And there can be no elections for termination of hostilities. And the conditions of ceasefire from Russia are to give them three areas. No one will ever go for it. So far, the circle has been closed.

Source: kp.ua