Zelenskyy says military commanders should stay out of politics – The Sun
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said military commanders should not be involved in politics in an interview with UK tabloid The Sun on Nov. 20, specifically referencing General Staff’s Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Zelenskyy stressed the importance of maintaining a clear hierarchy within the military and suggested that generals should avoid entering the political arena.
“Various political forces pushed the military into politics,” Zelenskyy said. “This happened after 2014 when every political party wanted to have military personnel, war heroes in their ranks. I consider it a significant mistake.”
He said the generals who ventured into politics had made an error.
Zelenskyy acknowledged that individuals have the right to transition from the military to politics, but he emphasized that such a decision comes at a cost—those individuals can no longer engage in warfare. He expressed concern that this shift could lead to discontent among their soldiers and cautioned against the impact of “soap bubble soldiers” on national unity.
“With all due respect to General Zaluzhnyi and all commanders on the battlefield, there is a clear understanding of the hierarchy. It’s singular, according to the law, and during the war, it cannot even be discussed. (Questioning) it does not lead to national unity,” added Zelenskyy.
Recent speculation about a “conflict” between Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi arose following articles published in weekly news magazines Time and the Economist. In particular, Zaluzhnyi’s remarks in the Economist on the challenging positional phase of the war for Ukraine prompted indirect refutations from the President’s Office.
Zelenskyy, addressing the complex situation on the front line, has also hinted at a potential shift in Ukraine’s military strategy, without delving into specifics.
Meanwhile, the Center for Countering Disinformation claimed there is a Russian-led campaign to discredit Zaluzhnyi by alleging there is a “rift between the government and the military.”
The President’s Office denied rumors that Zelenskyy was seeking to replace Zaluzhnyi and dismissed any suggestions that there was a conflict between them.
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