Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi hold meeting to discuss renewed leadership of Ukraine's Armed Forces

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, have simultaneously reported a joint meeting and said they had discussed changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces.

Source: Zalyzhnyi and Zelenskyy on Facebook

Quote from Zelenskyy: "I met with General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. I thanked him for two years of defending Ukraine.

We discussed what kind of renewal the Armed Forces of Ukraine need.

We also discussed who could be in the renewed leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine."

Details: Zelenskyy also said that now is the time "for such a renewal".

He also reportedly invited Zaluzhnyi to continue "to be in the team".

Quote from Zaluzhnyi: "In the first most difficult days of the Great War, we withstood a vile and powerful enemy. We withstood together. Our battle continues and changes every day. The tasks of 2022 are different from those of 2024. Therefore, everyone must change and adapt to the new realities as well. In order to win together.

We have just met with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. It was an important and serious conversation.

It was decided that we need to change our approaches and strategy."

Details: Zaluzhnyi thanked everyone around him: "the team of the General Staff, the Ministry of Defence and the president of Ukraine".

Zelenskyy's decree on personnel changes in the Armed Forces leadership is not currently available on the president's website.

Read more: Dismissal on repeat: why Zelenskyy is (or isn't) dismissing Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi

Background: 

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is "thinking" about replacing the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
• On 29 January some Telegram channels and politicians reported about the alleged dismissal of Zaluzhnyi from the position of the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The sources of Ukrainska Pravda reported back then that he was offered another office in the government, for instance, that of an ambassador, but Zaluzhnyi refused.
• On 2 Fabruary, The Washington Post, with references to two sources familiar with the discussion, reported that the Ukrainian government had informed the White House about the decision of Volodymyr Zelenskyy to dismiss Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• WP added with reference to a top official from Ukraine’s Defence Ministry that Kyiv has not chosen the replacement for Zaluzhnyi.
• Jake Sullivan, National Security Adviser to the US President, has stated that the US must not interfere in the possible dismissal of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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