Putin believes that the West will get rid of Zelensky within a year

Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that the West will “get rid of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky within a year.”

This statement was made during Putin’s conversation with representatives of global news agencies.

“I believe the U.S. administration will force the current Ukrainian leadership to make these decisions, lowering the conscription age to 18. And then they will simply get rid of Zelensky. But first, all this needs to be done because it’s not an easy story — a law needs to be passed, and certain steps must be taken. Now it’s June 2024. To accomplish all this, it seems to me, it will take a year or two. Until spring, until at least the beginning of the next year, they will tolerate him. Once everything is done, they’ll say: ‘Goodbye.’ And replace him. There are several candidates, as far as I understand,” said Putin.

Additionally, the Kremlin leader reiterated the “illegitimacy” of Zelensky. He stated that the Ukrainian Constitution does not mention the possibility of extending the president’s term in conditions of martial law, only that elections are not held. Putin interpreted the extension of Zelensky’s powers as a “violation of the article of the Ukrainian Criminal Code on the seizure of power.”

However, Putin mentioned that even under the current conditions, there is a side in Ukraine with which a peace agreement can be signed, but it requires Kyiv’s willingness.

Earlier, former adviser to the Presidential Office of Ukraine Oleksiy Arestovych reported that Putin demanded Zelensky’s removal as a condition for negotiations. According to Arestovych, Zelensky’s position has become an obstacle to implementing a secret plan by the West, Russia and China to end the war in Ukraine.