Washington, D.C( The COW News Digital)Pulitzer Prize-winning American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh has claimed that the United States has decided to forcibly remove Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky if he refuses to step down voluntarily.
Citing Russian media reports, Hersh alleged that Washington has lost confidence in Zelensky’s leadership amid growing frustration over the ongoing war with Russia. According to Hersh, Zelensky is unlikely to resign on his own, prompting U.S. officials to prepare for a forced political transition in Kyiv within the coming months.
The journalist further stated that Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and currently Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, is being considered as Zelensky’s likely replacement. Zaluzhnyi, known widely in Ukraine as the “Iron General,” led the country’s military during the initial phases of the war with Russia but was dismissed earlier this year due to policy rifts with President Zelensky. He was replaced by General Oleksandr Syrskyi in February.
In a related development, former Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko was dismissed by Zelensky in July 2023 after publicly criticizing the president. Zaluzhnyi was later appointed to replace him in London.
According to Hersh, there is growing sentiment within both the American and Ukrainian establishments that the war must end and that a compromise with Russian President Vladimir Putin may be necessary. Hersh previously predicted earlier this year that the war would wind down within 2024, and Zelensky would be removed from power.
The journalist also referenced the strained ties between Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who once labeled the Ukrainian leader a “dictator without elections.” Trump also highlighted that Zelensky’s approval ratings had dropped to as low as 4%. Zelensky’s official term expired on May 20, 2024, but citing martial law and ongoing conflict, he suspended presidential elections, further intensifying criticism at home and abroad.
Hersh’s latest claims add fuel to the speculation surrounding Ukraine’s post-war political future, as both allies and critics of Zelensky weigh his ability to lead the nation in the face of sustained conflict, plummeting popularity, and potential diplomatic shifts.
