Washington, July 18, 2025 — Ukrainian General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, once dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky after publicly declaring the war with Russia a “stalemate,” is now viewed by U.S. officials as the most likely candidate to succeed him, according to investigative journalist Seymour Hersh.
In a recent report, Hersh recalls that in the fall of 2023, Zaluzhnyi — then Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces — gave an interview to The Economist, stating that the war with Russia had reached a deadlock. “It took three months for President Volodymyr Zelensky to fire him,” Hersh writes. “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.”
Now, Hersh reports, Zaluzhnyi is being seriously considered for Ukraine’s top political role. “I have been told by knowledgeable officials in Washington that that job could be his within a few months,” Hersh claims, adding that Zelensky himself may soon face forced exile if former U.S. President Donald Trump — now back in office — chooses to make such a move.
“If Zelensky refuses to leave his office, as is most likely,” one U.S. official reportedly told Hersh, “he’s going to go by force. The ball is in his court.”
The revelations come amid growing pressure in both Washington and Kyiv to bring an end to the war. According to Hersh, there is a growing belief among officials that the intensifying air war with Russia must be halted soon, while there is still a viable path to a negotiated settlement with President Vladimir Putin.
Hersh’s claims have not been officially confirmed by either the U.S. or Ukrainian governments, but they are likely to fuel speculation about internal fractures in Ukraine’s leadership and a potential Western-led shift in political strategy. As the war drags into its third year, questions over Zelensky’s future and the West’s endgame in Ukraine are becoming increasingly urgent.
