- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly detailed his dispute with dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, saying he believes Fedorov's actions, including involvement in mass protests and calls for an election, were misguided.
- Fedorov, a popular minister credited with modernizing Ukraine’s armed forces and accelerating the military’s embrace of technology and drone warfare, was dismissed last month after reportedly falling out with the country’s top military commander. His removal triggered mass protests that lasted for weeks but ultimately failed to force a reversal.
- Zelenskyy said he offered Fedorov four different options to continue working in the government, but Fedorov rejected all of them.
- Zelenskyy alluded to problematic decisions over defence spending and said inaccurate information from the Defence Ministry contributed to an awkward encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump over the use of Starlink in Russia.
- Zelenskyy pushed back against protesters' vilification of former army chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi and current Defence Minister Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara, saying the slogans went too far.
- Zelenskyy said the Defence Ministry faced a $27 billion budget shortfall after spending decisions earlier in the year brought forward funds intended for the second half of the year.
- Zelenskyy predicted that by the end of the year, Ukraine could reach parity between territory occupied by Russia and territory retaken by Ukrainian forces, citing figures of about 990 square kilometres occupied and roughly 820 square kilometres restored.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly rejected calls for elections during wartime, stating that such actions would pose enormous risks and could split Ukraine apart. He expressed his belief that dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was misguided in his actions, including protests and election calls.1234
Zelenskyy noted that he had offered Fedorov four options to remain in government, all of which were rejected. The president emphasized the importance of unity during the ongoing conflict, stating, “Holding elections right now would be a tsunami for the state that would split Ukraine apart.”
The dismissal of Fedorov, who was credited with modernizing Ukraine’s military, led to mass protests but did not reverse the decision. Zelenskyy also addressed the $27 billion budget shortfall faced by the Defence Ministry, attributing it to earlier spending decisions that misallocated funds.11
In a related issue, Zelenskyy discussed a problematic encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the use of Starlink in Russia, revealing that the Defence Ministry had provided inaccurate information about the agreement with SpaceX. He stated, “I went back to our Ministry of Defence and they said that maybe it was so.”678
Zelenskyy also defended military leaders against public vilification, urging respect for the military's role in enabling peaceful protests in Ukraine's capital. He concluded by predicting that by year-end, Ukraine could achieve parity in territory regained from Russian occupation, with 990 square kilometres lost and 820 square kilometres regained since the start of the year.1213
“Zelenskyy said he offered Fedorov four government roles, all rejected, and blamed inaccurate Defence Ministry info for a Starlink dispute with Trump. He also predicted Ukraine could reach territorial parity by year-end, with Russia occupying 990 sq km versus 820 sq km retaken.”
