President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has reportedly conveyed to the White House his decision to dismiss the top military commander, General Valery Zaluzhny.
Sources familiar with the matter informed the Washington Post that White House officials neither endorsed nor opposed the decision, emphasizing that it was Zelensky’s prerogative.
As of now, Zelensky has not released an official statement regarding the dismissal or its timing.
The advance notification to the Biden White House provided an opportunity for officials to encourage Zelensky to reconsider, underscoring the influential role of the United States in the situation.
The removal of Zaluzhny is anticipated to impact both troop morale and donor confidence in the West as Ukraine’s conflict with Russia approaches its third year, according to reports.
Zelensky, who has experienced disagreements with Zalushny regarding battlefield strategies, privately speculates that a new commander could bring about a positive change for Kyiv, according to the outlet.
During a Monday meeting, General Zaluzhny argued for the need for new recruits to make progress against Russia on the battlefield, foreseeing personnel losses similar to those experienced last year.
Zelensky opposed this, citing Ukraine’s financial constraints and the impracticality of raising taxes significantly to pay for new conscripts.
A source close to Zelensky stated, “The president does not believe that this mass mobilization of men between the ages of 18 to 27 is desirable or warranted at this point.”
In the same meeting, Zelensky reportedly informed Zaluzhny of his dismissal, although Zelensky’s spokesperson, Serhiy Nykyforov, denied on Monday that the Ukrainian leader had fired Zaluzhny.
