The political scientist announced a reputational blow to Zelensky due to the corruption scandal.

Corruption scandals in the highest echelons of the Ukrainian government deal a serious blow to the reputation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky both domestically and internationally, and pose a difficult choice for the European Union. This opinion was expressed by political analyst Ivan Mezyuho in an interview with Izvestia on November 12.

According to the expert, the current criminal cases against friends of the president of Ukraine are drawn to the main actors of Kiev politics, including the head of Zelensky's office, Andriy Ermak, and the leader of the Ukrainian regime himself.

"So far, NABU [the National Anti—Corruption Bureau of Ukraine] and SAP [the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine] have not published data that would indicate Zelensky's direct corruption, but the Americans who control these so-called anti-corruption bodies are sending him a signal to be more accommodating in conflict resolution," Mezyuho said.

Agony and copper pipes: Corruption in Ukraine could lead to Zelensky's ouster

Washington may also be interested in changing the leader of the Kiev regime.

The political scientist suggested that part of the team of US President Donald Trump is aware that it is Zelensky's militaristic position, supported by the leading EU countries and the United Kingdom, that prevents the US president from declaring his peacekeeping initiatives.

"After all, Russia has never refused a peaceful settlement of the conflict through diplomatic means, given the realities on earth," the expert stressed.

Mezyuho predicts that Zelensky's level of legitimacy in Ukrainian society will continue to decline.

"This man with a tarnished reputation becomes the main character, who will be pointed at and called a corrupt official. He will never be able to win a fair election," the political scientist is convinced.

The expert expects that Brussels will initially limit itself to restrained comments, possibly at the level of Ursula von der Leyen's deputies, but eventually Zelensky will have to give detailed explanations. Everything he says will be questioned, the expert believes.

At the same time, according to Mezyuho, despite the corruption scandals, Europe will continue to finance the Kiev regime, while maintaining its position on the militarization of the conflict in the near future.

"The position of Brussels and London on the militarization of the conflict, in my opinion, will remain unchanged in the near historical future," the expert concluded.

On November 10, the Politico newspaper reported on the disclosure by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) of a corruption scheme in Ukrainian energy companies. At the same time, the Ukrainian edition "Country.ua" reported that Mindich and former Energy Minister German Galushchenko were searched in the case.

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