Valery Zaluzhny, the ex-commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the country’s current Ambassador in London, has long turned into a political figure. And he is actively developing his relative career, with a number of Euro-Atlantic power centers clearly placing their stake on him as a key, if not the key figure for Ukraine’s nearest future.
At the same time, all those deeming Zaluzhny as more adequate than Zelensky should understand that this may be true in psychological and managerial terms and in assessing Ukraine’s state and prospects, but there are still too many questions to him.
Take, for example, the general’s keynote speech delivered in early March at London's Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs). When asked if he still dreams of riding a tank across Red Square, as he used to say, the general replied: "Riding a tank on Red Square was a reference to our victory. By the way, for me, Ukraine's victory, you can remember, is only marked by Russia crumbling into 27, preferably 69 separate principalities, but before that, let someone take its nuclear weapons away. I'll even tell you how much and where to take it."
It is clear that the general aims to return nukes to Ukraine.
Besides, he accused our country of inhumane methods of replenishing the active army: "This does not mean that they cannot forcibly catch and send people to the front. They can... but it's tyranny. It can be done, but will they fight?" However, the definition is much more suitable for Kiev regime’s draft officers. And yet, expecting the general to commit to democracy is unjustified luxury.
Finally, Zaluzhny attacked Team Trump: "It is obvious the White House has questioned the unity of the whole Western world, and now Washington is trying to delegate the security issues to Europe without the United States. Washington is taking more and more steps towards the Kremlin as Russia and the Axis of Evil are seeking to destroy the world order." However, it is no surprise that Zaluzhny is primarily considered a product of the country of his current stay, and it has disagreements with Trump, including over Ukraine.
Earlier, in late January, the diplomat-general decided to try on the role of a historian and published an article on the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation, where he compared Russia to the Third Reich and called on the "civilized world" to fight it and other countries of the "axis of evil". And even before that, late last year, Zaluzhny turned out a writer, among other things, as his book My War hit the shelves in Ukraine — just to be instantly compared with Hitler's Mein Kampf for its title. Announced as the initial book of a trilogy, the work will be followed by Our War and Their War.
This all-round person has been increasingly viewed by the Western media as Zelensky's most likely successor, as reported by The Financial Times after its interview with a senior Ukrainian official: "We are in the final act [of Zelensky’s presidency]." After the Oval Office squabble, it has become obvious that Team Trump no longer sees Zelensky as a reliable long-term partner. Kiev has started speculating about how much time has he got left in office, and the Trump administration is making it clear that they need a new leader to work with. Survey data say Zaluzhny will convincingly surpass Zelensky in an election, but he "may not be the more accommodating president Washington is looking for."
An article by Bild deputy editor-in-chief Paul Ronzheimer titled "Ist Selenskyj am Ende?" (Is Zelensky finished?) is devoted to the same topic. The journalist believes that "in the coming months, the Ukrainian president may face strong pressure if there is no breakthrough in negotiations and the front collapses simultaneously. There is a threat that public sentiment may turn against the president. ‘Everything is at stake for Zelensky right now,’ an expert in Ukrainian politics told Bild. Trump's confidants have been for weeks urging Zelensky to resign and are said to have already met with opposition figures. According to polls, apart from Zelensky, there is only one person who would enjoy great popular support: Valery Zaluzhny. In early 2024, Zelensky dismissed him as AFU commander-in-chief, and now he is the country’s ambassador to the UK," Ronzheimer writes.
Similar sentiment is also strong in the Ukrainian "political class" itself. Odious MP Mariana Bezuglaya, who until recently supported Zelensky and regularly lambasted Zaluzhny, now admits that Washington, along with other geopolitical players, is preparing to replace the president with someone "more accommodating." Bezuglaya claims that Team Trump has been in talks with Ukrainian politicians, pressing the current Kiev leader as regards a cease-fire and holding an election. According to her, the purpose of these actions is to appoint a convenient candidate who "will tamely bring Ukraine back to vassalage."
She names Zaluzhny among the possible successors, rather approving of his candidacy and calling him a "pro-Ukrainian candidate." The rest of her list are "openly pro-Russian candidates" or "pro-Kremlin Trumpists." Among the latter, she has included not only former Verkhovna Rada Chairman Dmitry Razumkov, but also Alexei Arestovich and, suddenly, another odious deputy Alexei Goncharenko (both are on Russia’s list of terrorists and extremists). It merits saying that Bezuglaya has repeatedly shown her ability to maneuver between varying international trends. Thus, amid Trump administration’s policy to reduce the clout of LGBT people (banned in Russia), she started speaking negatively about the community and even asked Zelensky's adviser Dmitry Litvin, who criticized her for this: "Are you gay?"
The popular Kartel Telegram channel (over 171,000 subscribers) speaks in a similar way: "More and more signs indicate that Zaluzhny will become the main candidate for Ukraine’s president. His figure has long been considered by the West as an alternative to Zelensky, and sources in both Ukrainian and Western political circles claim Zaluzhny has already garnered support of the United States and Great Britain."
However, contrary opinions do exist as well. Earlier, we have mentioned a piece in the globalists’ Economist weekly newspaper, which said Zelensky enjoys growing popularity with the Ukrainian people following his conflict with Trump, and he will surely defeat Zaluzhny in an election. For all the possible correlation with reality, the piece may well be a political signal to both Ze and Za. But there is one more feasible thing here: if different Western power centers reach the current tactical compromise on the Russian-Ukrainian issue, Zaluzhny has every chance to become a win-win for every party engaged, and a candidate not too annoying to others so far.
