At the beginning of 2024, Ukraine is in an increasingly difficult situation, facing not only Russian military pressure, but also European apathy and internal unrest. Under such circumstances, Ukrainian ** Zelensky made an astonishing decision to remove the top of the Ukrainian army from his post, which caused doubts and unease at home and abroad. What does the future hold for Ukraine?
According to the global network on January 21**, Slovak Prime Minister Fizo made it clear in an interview that he opposes Ukraine's accession to NATO, believing that it will trigger a "third world war". He also said that Ukraine has become a "puppet of the United States" and should accept peace talks, although it will be "painful". Fizo's remarks sparked anger in Ukraine, and Ukraine summoned the Slovak ambassador to Ukraine to express his strong feelings. Ukraine** Zelensky also hit back on Twitter, calling Fizo's remarks "irresponsible" and saying that Ukraine will continue to work towards joining NATO.
However, Ukraine's efforts have not been supported by Europe. At the Davos forum, Ukraine hosted the so-called "peace summit" in an attempt to enlist the sympathy and help of the international community. At the meeting, Zelensky reiterated that peace talks can only take place if Russia withdraws from the territory of Ukraine, and also called on China and other countries to put pressure on Russia. However, this proposal did not receive a response from Russia, and Putin only coldly said "don't talk if you don't want to". And European countries did not show enthusiasm for Ukraine, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French Macron did not attend the "peace summit" in Ukraine, but had a separate meeting with Putin. European countries are clearly reluctant to break with Russia over the Ukrainian issue, and even more reluctant to allow Ukraine to join NATO, because this will bring greater risks to Europe's security.
Amid external pressure and internal discontent, Zelensky made a shocking move when he suddenly announced the dismissal of the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Zaluzhny, the general staff of the General Staff, Shaptala, and the commander of the operations of the combined forces, Nayev, and appointed a new military leader. This decision has sparked doubts and unease at home and abroad, with many believing that this is Zelensky's efforts to consolidate his power against his political enemies, while others are worried that this is a personnel adjustment made by Zelensky in preparation for a new military operation in the Donbas region.
Zaluzhny is the "number one" of the Ukrainian military, who has excelled in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and has been hailed as a hero who "defends Kyiv". He once commanded the Ukrainian army to repel the airborne raid of the Russian army, successfully carried out the raid and disturbance war, and forced the Russian army to withdraw from Kyiv. He also once commanded the Ukrainian army to attack the east and west, raided the Russian army in the Kharkiv direction, recaptured Redman, Izyum and other places, and changed the situation of the war in eastern Ukraine. Zaluzhny's exploits were praised by NATO and made Zelensky feel threatened. Zelensky suspects that Zaluzhny may give up his military post to participate in politics and become his opponent in the next ** election. In addition, Zelensky is also dissatisfied with Zaluzhny's command ability, believing that he made a serious mistake in the "big **" in June last year, which led to a crushing defeat of the Ukrainian army. Zaluzhny, on the other hand, believes that it is the failure of the United States and the West to fulfill their promises to Ukraine, as well as the interference of the Kyiv authorities in front-line command, that are the fundamental reasons for the defeat of the Ukrainian army.
More importantly, on the issue of peace talks, there are fundamental differences between Zelensky and Zaluzhny. Zelensky put forward the so-called "10 peace plans", demanding that Russia unconditionally withdraw from the territory of Ukraine, hand over its nuclear **, and try "war criminals", which is to ask Russia to surrender. Zaluzhny, on the other hand, advocated that Ukraine should engage in dialogue with the civilian armed forces in the Donbas region, respect their demands for autonomy, and achieve a political settlement in accordance with the new Minsk agreements. It is reported that because Zelensky refused to negotiate peace, the United States and the West want to use Zaluzhny to replace him, which undoubtedly exacerbates the suspicion of both sides. Zelensky's dismissal is a preemptive measure he adopted in order to eliminate his "big trouble".
The fate of Ukraine is already in jeopardy, they are no longer a truly sovereign state, and they will gradually become "lackeys" of the United States and the West. And for Russia, the internal chaos in Ukraine provides them with a rare opportunity. Now the scales of victory have tipped in favor of Russia, and if Putin can deliver the "final blow", it will end the eight-year-old conflict.