Russia’s Plan for Ukraine
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia wanted him to step down and replace him with a pro-Kremlin oligarch named Viktor Medvedchuk. This happened in the early days of the full-scale war, according to Zelensky.
Zelensky said that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent an ultimatum to him through some people from Ukraine. The ultimatum demanded that Ukraine recognize Russia’s control over parts of Donbas, change its constitution, shrink its army, and give up many of its weapons. It also wanted Ukrainian to make Russian a official language.
This was not a request for discussion but a demand, said Zelensky. He compared it to the points made during failed peace talks in Turkey in 2022.
Medvedchuk is a well-known figure in Ukraine who has close ties with Putin. Before the war, he was one of the most influential pro-Russian people in Ukraine. In 2022, he was detained by Ukrainian authorities and later exchanged for Russian prisoners.
There are rumors of possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia again. Zelensky said that his country will seek a quick but just peace this year.