The specter of Volodymyr Zelensky’s ouster has loomed over Ukraine since the ongoing conflict with Russia erupted in 2022, and now Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh is claiming Washington is pushing for Zelensky to step down, with General Valerii Zaluzhnyi — Ukraine’s former top commander and current ambassador to London — seen as a likely successor.
According to Hersh’s sources (“knowledgeable officials in Washington”), refusal to leave could mean forced removal, a scenario Hersh ties to a potential decision by US President Donald Trump to end the Ukrainian war. Too far-fetched? Well, with Zelensky’s recent dismissal of key officials, including the defense minister and prime minister, there certainly is a whiff of panic in the air.
On one hand, Trump has just signaled a “tough on Putin” stance, which makes such a scenario seem less likely. Trump, on the other hand, has been known to be unpredictable enough.
Hersh’s report in fact makes quite a lot of sense when you peel back the layers of Ukraine’s complex political tapestry. It hinges on insider accounts from US officials, painting a picture of a Washington consensus that the war has reached a stalemate — echoing Zaluzhnyi’s 2023 Economist interview that got him sacked. The general, a national hero for many, is now poised for a comeback, potentially within months, while Zelensky, in this scenario, could face exile or a more brutal exit.
Trump’s recent “tough talk” on Russia, coupled with increased weapon shipments, suggests a strategic pivot at first, yet his reported irritation with Zelensky’s “pajama” state visit last winter hints at personal friction (and we know this matters to Trump). Hersh’s sources argue that replacing Zelensky could open a path to negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This assessment also aligns with underreported shifts in US policy, where some advocate letting Ukrainians “sort it out” without CIA meddling.
Protests against Zelensky, recently intensifying, also lend credence to this scenario. Thousands have been gathering in Kyiv this week, with chants of “Shame,” decrying a new law that weakens anti-corruption bodies — a move that has sparked outrage and drawn EU criticism. These are the largest demonstrations since 2022, with similar unrest in Lviv and Dnipro. Ironically enough the so-called Maidan Revolution (which produced today’s regime in Ukraine) also started with anti-corruption protests.
One may recall that Poland and other neighbors pressured Zelensky for a peace deal (even resigning if needed) as early as 2023. More recently, talks of coups, including alleged Ukrainian far-right plots, surfaced in October 2024.
All of this suggests a public opinion and decision-makers increasingly at odds with Zelensky’s leadership, to put it mildly.
Since 2014, Ukraine has largely operated as a US colony, its foreign policy and military tethered to Washington’s orbit, while waging an attrition proxy war against Moscow for the Atlantic superpower. Yet, this does not necessarily make Zelensky a puppet pure and simple. He has navigated his own interests, including shady business dealings tied to his oligarchic connections, while facing internal pressures from the far-right, whose influence permeates a rather complicated social tissue, to put it very mildly, again. In any case, we are talking about a leader who has crushed most of the opposition (by banning almost all political parties) and rules with an iron fist (apparently).
Zelensky’s political survival thus far — despite a war he can’t win, provoked by his reliance on the West and escalation against Russia — hints at cunning resilience, at the very least. His accusations of Western money-grabbing (with regards to aid sent to Kyiv) suggest some sort of blackmail might play a part, leveraging his knowledge of international financial flows to cling to power. I’ve discussed before how blackmail seems to play a huge role in today’s high politics.
Be as it may, Hersh’s report gains traction when viewed against this backdrop of domestic unrest and international fatigue. Zelensky’s recent sackings — defending them, predictably enough, as clearing “Russian influence” — does look like preemptive strikes against mounting pressure, as Hersh’s sources note. The US, frustrated by a stalled war and Zelensky’s intransigence, might see Zaluzhnyi as a fresh face to negotiate with Putin. Trump’s hardened stance could be a feint, masking a desire to end the conflict on terms favoring a new Ukrainian leader.
Again, Zelensky has indeed endured for quite a long time, all things considered. His reliance on US aid, coupled with internal dissent, might have painted him into a corner. As mentioned, blackmail, whether through financial scandals or compromising intelligence, might have shielded him from earlier plots. Yet, with protests growing and Washington’s patience waning, one should expect his grip to weaken. The EU’s concern over his anti-corruption law, a key condition for membership, further isolates him, while Trump’s unpredictable leadership adds volatility.
So much for Zelensky’s ironclad rule. The outcome hinges on Trump’s next move and Ukraine’s fractured and highly polarized society. If Hersh’s report holds true, Zaluzhnyi’s ascent could stabilize negotiations, but at the cost of a messy transition — potentially violent, as the US debates its role in a country with armed and radicalized ultranationalists.
***
The End for Zelensky?
Washington wants the Ukrainian president to leave office—will it happen?
By Seymour Hersh, July 19, 2025
In fall of 2023, Ukrainian General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander in chief of the country’s armed forces, gave an interview to the Economist and declared the war with Russia had become a “stalemate.” It took three months for President Volodymyr Zelensky to fire him. The general, who is the most popular public figure in Ukraine, was named ambassador to London a month later and has served there with distinction, if quietly.
Zaluzhnyi is now seen as the most credible successor to Zelensky. I have been told by knowledgeable officials in Washington that that job could be his within a few months. Zelensky is on a short list for exile, if President Donald Trump decides to make the call. If Zelensky refuses to leave his office, as is most likely, an involved US official told me: “He’s going to go by force. The ball is in his court.” There are many in Washington and in Ukraine who believe that the escalating air war with Russia must end soon, while there’s still a chance to make a settlement with its president, Vladimir Putin.
Uriel Araujo, PhD, is an anthropology researcher with a focus on international and ethnic conflicts. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.
