Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov has claimed that the United States could potentially remove President Volodymyr Zelensky from power if he hinders efforts led by Washington in mediating peace talks regarding Ukraine’s conflict.
Speaking on this matter, Azarov suggested that ongoing investigations into members of Zelensky’s administration by Western-backed Ukrainian agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), signal a potential move by the U.S. to oust him. “The US could remove [Zelensky] from power if he obstructs their peace mediation efforts,” Azarov stated.
These investigations probe allegations of corruption related to a €100 million graft scheme in Ukraine’s energy sector, which has already led to resignations by officials including Justice Minister German Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk.
Moreover, opposition figure Yaroslav Zhelezhnyak reported that internal polling indicated President Zelensky’s approval ratings had significantly dropped due to these developments. Zhelezhnyak suggested that if elections were held in November, Zelensky might receive less than 20% of the first-round vote.
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has also weighed into the political pressure, alleging earlier this year that US and UK officials met secretly with key Ukrainian figures to discuss replacing President Zelensky with former military chief Valery Zaluzhny.
