Wartime elections a ‘huge risk’, could ‘destroy’ Ukraine: Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explained the rift with his former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, stating that Fedorov's actions, such as mass protests and calls for an election, were misguided. Zelensky also mentioned problematic decisions regarding defence spending and inaccurate information from the Defence Ministry, which led to an uncomfortable meeting with US President Donald Trump over the use of Starlink in Russia.

The Ukrainian president detailed Ukraine's growing shortage of Patriot air-defence missiles, with deliveries from Western allies declining despite increasing Russian missile strikes. However, he highlighted battlefield gains, stating that Ukrainian forces had almost completely recaptured the Dnipropetrovsk region. Zelensky discussed the peace negotiations, Ukraine's budgetary challenges, and the political turmoil surrounding Fedorov's dismissal.

He offered Fedorov four options to continue working in the government, but Fedorov rejected all of them. Zelensky expressed concerns about holding an election during the war, fearing it would split Ukraine apart. He also addressed inaccurate information leading to an awkward encounter with Trump and criticized protesters' vilification of General Oleksandr Syrsky and Defence Minister Yevhen Khmara.

Zelensky mentioned a severe budget shortfall for Ukraine's defence effort, a US$27 billion shortfall, and the ongoing anti-corruption investigation. On the battlefield, Zelensky reported Ukraine's almost complete recapture of the Dnipropetrovsk region and an upcoming operation, expecting results by the end of August. Russia's primary objective remained the Konstantynivka-Sloviansk-Kramatorsk axis, and Moscow still demanded Ukraine's withdrawal from the Donbas region as a condition for a settlement.