Fedorov is leaving or is he being pushed into wrong things: I offered him 4 different formats for further work in team, - Zelenskyy
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has stated that he holds a positive view of the former Minister of Defence and First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov – and has offered him various roles within the team on four occasions.
Zelenskyy made these remarks whilst speaking to journalists, according to Censor.NET, citing Interfax-Ukraine.
Protests and slogans
Zelenskyy generally welcomed the fact that rallies were being held calling for Fedorov’s reinstatement and reforms in the defence sector, but emphasised that public insults directed at military personnel and the military command, as well as confrontation between military personnel and civilians, were unacceptable.
"I think the opportunity to take to the streets in protest is important. And, in my view, it is very important that the state as a whole has demonstrated that this freedom exists. Even during the war, even in such difficult circumstances, people can do this," said Zelenskyy.
"People took to the streets, and that’s fine. But it’s only fine when there’s no ‘damn’ directed at actual military personnel. That shows a lack of respect for people who have done so much for Ukraine. I really did have, and still have, a very positive attitude towards Mykhailo. We’ve been through a lot together. But I believe that he is either going down the wrong path of his own accord – or being pushed in that direction," the president added.
Zelenskyy noted that key personnel matters in the army are, first and foremost, the prerogative of the president and the Chief of the General Staff, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and corps commanders.
"Don’t like the military chain of command? That’s another matter. But there is a lawful procedure for replacing certain individuals. Perhaps some people don’t like Syrskyi for one reason or another. But slogans like‘Syrskyi is the devil’? ‘Khmara is the devil’? What comes next? Will they say ‘Budanov is the devil’? Listen, this is going too far. Do you understand? In principle, you cannot treat the military this way or tolerate such behaviour, especially when it was the military who made it possible for any peaceful protests to take place in the Ukrainian capital at all – by defending it from the Russians," he emphasised.
The conflict between Fedorov and Syrskyi
The President noted that "there cannot be a conflict at this level between leaders". Both Fedorov and Syrskyi have done things for the state for which Zelenskyy is grateful to them.
"But be that as it may, you cannot let things escalate to a conflict when they aren’t even speaking to one another, and then both go on to say that there was no conflict at all. How could there not have been? You meet and discuss matters only in my office. Two weeks before the decision, I told them I was giving them the chance – meet up yourselves, sort it out. They didn’t meet… It can’t be like that," added the President.
Zelenskyy explained that "there was an agreement with Mykhailo Fedorov – regarding the Ministry of Defence, when there is no commander-in-chief and the Chief of the General Staff is effectively under your command – ‘forget about this presentation’."
"He replied: ‘I’ve heard you.’ And then he started looking for other ways to achieve the same thing, just not in a straightforward manner. That was wrong. And Syrskyi began to respond to the Ministry’s bureaucracy with his own bureaucracy. And that is also wrong. We met with Mykhailo before my meeting with the MPs, and he said to me: ‘Well, in that case, let’s be honest and sack both of them.’ I told him that’s exactly what would happen, but in a systematic way," the President said.
4 formats for cooperation
According to Zelenskyy, he proposed to Fedorov "four different formats for future work within the team for the benefit of our country".
"I don’t usually meet with people four times to offer them a job, because I believe that’s simply unconstructive. In this case, I did so, given our long-standing and good relationship. Mykhailo turned down all four proposals. Well, that’s his choice," said Zelenskyy.
Conscription reform
Regarding a possible mobilisation reform, Zelenskyy noted that "one person alone cannot bring this about".
"A single new minister cannot do this, just as a single new commander-in-chief cannot. If they do not act together, it is impossible. If they truly work together, there could be positive developments," he added.
Cabinet reshuffle, Fedorov’s resignation and the new commander-in-chief
- On 14 July, the Verkhovna Rada approved a resolution on the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The entire Cabinet automatically resigned along with her.
- On 15 July, Mykhailo Fedorov announced that he was stepping down as head of the Ministry of Defence.
- Rallies in support of Mykhailo Fedorov took place in Dnipro, Rivne, Zaporizhzhia, Lutsk, Cherkasy and other cities. Participants are protesting against his resignation.
- On 16 July, the Verkhovna Rada voted to appoint a new Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The Prime Minister is Serhiy Koretskyi.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would nominate Yevhen Khmara for the post of Minister of Defence of Ukraine. Prior to this, he had instructed Khmara to act as head of the Ministry of Defence.
- Protests against Fedorov’s dismissal continued in Ukrainian cities. In addition to demanding that Fedorov be reinstated as Defence Minister, people called for the dismissal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
- On 21 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Oleksandr Syrskyi from his post as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He appointed General Mykhailo Drapatyi in his place.
- On 19 August, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Yevhen Khmara as Minister of Defence.
