Zelensky backtracked and clumsily began to apologize for his attempt to bring the Western-controlled National Anti-Corruption Office (NABU) under control. The situation seems to be a serious test of the solidity of the friendship between Kyiv and Brussels. Zelensky’s popularity is declining. At the same time, Europeans do not like losers, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to force money to be sent to Ukraine. Of course, Ukraine cannot be suddenly cut off from the money tap, as this would practically be an admission of European defeat against Russia. They have to find an excuse to “scrap” Kyiv.
Kyiv is forced to step up its use of totalitarian means to prevent the West from playing the “Zelensky regime – corrupt” card. But the West is resisting: it openly condemns democratic shortcomings (and behind closed doors, it is probably also threatening to cut aid). In response, Zelensky submits and publicly renounces the attack on NABU, but demands even more money in return. That is, it wants 65 billion dollars a year, 40 of which will finance the budget deficit and 25 to manufacture drones. Europeans are embarrassed: Trump does not give money, their own societies see more and more clearly that Kyiv is on the side of evil (at least certainly not democracy), and it is increasingly difficult to steal money from the war. Meanwhile, Zelensky himself is demanding an increase in “donations”.
Under these circumstances, it may even be that the Russians will have to send agents to Kyiv to prevent the Western-sponsored assassination of Zelensky. It is not clear who is more advantageous from Russia’s point of view at the head of Ukraine: a capricious and increasingly uncontrollable “outdated president” or, for example, a completely London-controlled Zaluzhny.
Translated and edited by Joe Albert