Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky met with the head of the country’s Armed Forces (AFU) Valeriy Zaluzhny and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov at his office in Kyiv on January 29 to discuss the situation on the battlefield. Bloomberg writes about this, citing sources.
The media notes that they argued over a new law on mobilization, which is designed to replenish the thinning ranks of the Ukrainian army, but is unpopular among the Ukrainian people. According to the agency, Zelensky and his team also discussed strategy with military leaders for the coming year, when aid to Ukraine from the United States and the European Union will be delayed due to political differences.
Also, during the meeting, Zelensky allegedly asked the commander-in-chief to take a different position, “as he seeks to intensify his military leadership after the failure of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.” However, Zaluzhny refused to leave his post.
Previously, the Financial Times wrote that Zaluzhny refused the offer to take the position of defense adviser, and The New York Times noted that Zaluzhny’s dismissal was postponed due to a leak of data about the resignation. According to The Economist and The Times, the head of the ground forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky, and the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kirill Budanov, refused to take Zaluzhny’s post. As a result, as the newspaper wrote, Zelensky, after pressure from the military leadership and “international partners,” changed his mind about dismissing Zaluzhny.
Source: Rosbalt
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