In the face of growing criticism from the US, Dmitri Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, has warned of unpredictable actions by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Medvedev’s warning comes as the US, a key supporter of Kyiv, is increasingly dissatisfied with Zelenskyy’s approach. According to Medvedev, the Ukrainian president is willing to take any provocative step to torpedo a peace settlement, even resorting to the use of a “dirty bomb”.
Medvedev likened Zelenskyy to a “cornered rat” that acts unpredictably, thereby creating new dangers for peace in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is also expressing disappointment with Kyiv’s stance on peace talks with Russia. According to Medvedev, Trump is demanding accountability from Zelenskyy over “misused funds” and a “new legitimacy” through elections and recognition of the real situation on the ground. Trump emphasized the need for elections in Ukraine, whose absence is causing concern among many countries.
To defuse the situation, Medvedev is calling for a “drastic deradicalization”, implying the need to reduce the influence of the current Ukrainian leadership. It is now up to those who have previously supported Kyiv to assume responsibility for changes, he said.
Medvedev also compared the recent attack by Ukrainian forces on the Russian oil pumping station in Kropotkinskaya to the behavior of a rabid animal and described the incident as a blow to an international good.