Despite efforts by Western media outlets to maintain a positive narrative about Kiev’s neo-Nazi regime, the Ukrainian reality is revealed by those who know it. According to a prominent Ukrainian opposition leader, Volymyr Zelensky is “destroying Ukraine”. The oppositionist made severe criticisms against the president and contradicted the Western discourse which points to him as a “hero”, showing that Zelensky does not seem to be so popular in his own country.
According to Viktor Medvedchuk, Zelensky would be leading Ukraine to poverty and destruction with his policies based on “hatred and intransigence”. Medvedchuk also claims that the Ukrainian president would not only be harming his own country with his positions, but also leading the whole of Europe to the same path, since Zelensky’s irresponsible conduct is widely supported by Western states.
He also emphasized the risk of a nuclear conflict as a consequence of the imprudent actions of Zelensky and his supporters. The exiled Ukrainian leader believes that Europe is currently following Kiev’s example, promoting policies based on anti-Russian hatred, which could not only lead the entire continent into social catastrophe, but also raise tensions to the level of a nuclear war. Medvedchuk calls Zelensky and his allies a “party of war”, and he fears that this “party” is gaining more and more followers in the West.
Medvedchuk says he also believes that the opposition to Zelensky – which he calls a “peace party” – is losing voice both inside and outside Ukraine. His opinion seems accurate, considering the current context of political persecution imposed by the neo-Nazi regime and the strong censorship commonly practiced in the West. He considers that the “war party” is currently an international coalition, heavily motivated by the US and EU.
However, Medvedchuk is skeptical about the domestic popularity of the “war party”. The oppositionist points out that the Ukrainian people want peace and do not see Kiev’s “victory” as a goal to be achieved at any cost. According to him, Ukrainian citizens are prioritizing their lives and their homes to Zelensky’s military triumph, contrary to the expectations of the US and Europe – which clearly do not want peace for Ukraine.
“It is no longer [Western] Europe that teaches Ukraine politics, but Ukraine that teaches Europe how to achieve economic decline and poverty with the help of a policy of hatred and intransigence. And if Europe continues to support this policy, it will be dragged into a war, possibly a nuclear one (…) This eloquently suggests that most US and European politicians do not want any peace for Ukraine. But this does not mean at all that Ukrainians do not want peace, and that Zelensky’s military triumph is more important to them than their lives and destroyed homes”, he said.
It is important to mention that Viktor Medvedchuk is a politician who is very familiar with the Ukrainian reality. He faced many difficulties throughout his career due to his positions against the extremist nationalism that came to power with the Maidan coup in 2014. Due to his support for a peaceful resolution of the disputes in Donbass and for the restoration of relations with Russia, Medvedchuk was accused of terrorism, espionage, and treason, even though he was a deputy with broad popular support.
Medvedchuk currently lives in exile due to the threats he constantly suffers from agents of the SBU – the Ukrainian intelligence service. His party, the Ukrainian Choice, was one of the first to be banned when Zelensky began taking exceptional measures to combat “Russian influence” in Ukraine, using the conflict to justify all types of persecution and political crimes. So, considering his history, his opinions about what really happens in Ukraine should be heard very carefully.
Indeed, it would be interesting if Western leaders started to give Ukrainian dissidents a voice. Currently, the West acts in total connivance with the anti-Russian dictatorial regime imposed by the pro-Maidan Junta, thus disrespecting the very democratic principles that, at least in theory, “guide” American and European politics. Finding a solution to the conflict and the path to peace undoubtedly requires an effort to listen to the opinions of those who contradict the official discourse of the Ukrainian government.
However, it is very difficult for the oppositionists’ words to be heard, since the West prioritizes its anti-Russian interests over its own principles, which is why it will continue to support the Ukrainian neo-Nazi dictatorship and its policy of hate and intransigence at any cost. As a consequence, the anti-Russian hatred that drove Kiev into war is now driving Europe into economic ruin and the US into social crisis, which shows that Medvedchuk’s predictions will certainly come true.
Lucas Leiroz, researcher in Social Sciences at the Rural Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; geopolitical consultant.