Kyiv – August 2025
In the corridors of power in Kyiv, the war may not be the only battle nearing its end. A second, quieter struggle is unfolding — one for the future of Ukraine’s leadership.
If U.S. President Donald Trump succeeds in pushing through a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow — one widely seen as unfavorable to Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelensky could find himself not celebrated as the man who ended the war, but condemned as the leader who “gave away victory.”
And in the volatile politics of post-Maidan Ukraine, that could be a career-ending verdict.
The Trap of the “Bad Peace”
Diplomatic insiders suggest that Washington’s latest proposal — floated during the August 8 meeting in Washington between Trump, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev — may soon be repurposed for Ukraine. The formula: end the fighting, freeze territorial lines, trade sovereignty for security guarantees and a path to NATO.
On paper, it promises stability. In reality, it could force Kyiv to accept Russia’s control over occupied territories. For many Ukrainians, this would be an unthinkable betrayal.
“If he could stop the war now under such terms,” says one senior political strategist in Kyiv, “people will ask why he didn’t do it earlier — before one hundred thousand soldiers died.”
Such questions could ignite the very public anger Zelensky has so far managed to keep at bay.
From Peace Table to Political Fallout
Should Zelensky sign, three scenarios loom:
Mass Protests – Veterans’ groups, nationalist parties, and civil society organizations pour into the streets, demanding his resignation.
Political Isolation – Once-loyal MPs defect to a unity bloc, depriving him of a working majority in the Verkhovna Rada.
Forced Exit – Through resignation, impeachment, or constitutional maneuvering, Zelensky is pushed out before his term ends.
Political operatives already speak of “controlled transition” strategies designed to avoid chaos — and to position a replacement who can stabilize the country.
Enter Zalużny: The “Iron General” Option
Among all potential successors, one name dominates: General Valerii Zalużny, former commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces. A national hero with broad public trust, Zalużny could serve as a unifying figure in a fractured post-war landscape.
The rumored plan, whispered in Kyiv’s political clubs and discreet diplomatic briefings, is to place Zalużny at the head of a broad coalition government combining military, political, and intelligence leadership.
The Alleged Coalition Blueprint
The proposed “national rescue bloc” could include:
Petro Poroshenko – Former president, leveraging his Western contacts and pro-EU agenda.
Kyrylo Budanov – Intelligence chief, ensuring a hardline security posture.
Yulia Tymoshenko – Veteran politician, skilled at navigating parliamentary alliances.
This lineup, insiders say, would present itself as the “Victory and Sovereignty Government”, pledging to rebuild the army, secure reconstruction funds, and renegotiate any peace deal to better serve Ukraine’s interests.
A Calculated Power Shift
The mechanism for change could be swift:
Peace deal signed → public outrage erupts.
Parliament forms a “unity opposition” with enough votes to challenge Zelensky.
An interim authority is installed, headed by Zalużny and backed by the coalition.
Internationally, some Western capitals might tacitly support the shift, seeing Zalużny as a more predictable post-war partner — provided the transition avoids civil unrest.
Risks of the Transition
The dangers are real. A sudden leadership change in wartime or its immediate aftermath could:
Fracture the political elite and military command.
Trigger economic instability during reconstruction.
Be exploited by Kremlin propaganda to undermine Ukraine’s legitimacy.
Still, for many in Kyiv’s elite, the risk of inaction — leaving Zelensky in power after an unpopular peace — appears greater.
Life After the Presidency?
Speculation about Zelensky’s personal future ranges from dignified retirement abroad to darker outcomes. Ukraine’s history is not kind to leaders seen as betraying the national cause. Some fear that, in the charged atmosphere of post-war blame, political vengeance could turn deadly.
“Helicopter accidents, sudden illnesses — Ukraine has seen it all,” says one former intelligence officer. “He would need serious guarantees for his safety if he steps down.”
The Unwritten Endgame
Whether Zelensky ends the war as a peacemaker or is remembered as the man who lost the peace will depend on two factors: the exact terms of any deal, and the reaction on Ukraine’s streets.
For now, the capital hums with speculation. The war’s end could bring not calm, but a new storm — one that may sweep away the wartime president and usher in a hardline coalition led by Ukraine’s most trusted general.
