Only West Can Undermine Zelensky, Not Loss of Avdeyevka - Ukrainian Opposition Politician

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The fact that Russian military took control of Avdeyevka cannot undermine the position of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, only Western countries can do this, Ukrainian opposition politician Viktor Medvedchuk told Sputnik.

On February 17, Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukrainian commander-in-chief, announced the decision to withdraw units from the city of Avdeyevka. The Russian Defense Ministry, in turn, said that the Russian military had taken full control of the city.

"Only the Western masters, who exercise leadership over him, can undermine Zelensky’s position in this regard. Because any other actions, any independence or slack in carrying out some elements of state policy are unrealistic without the permission of external government," Medvedchuk said, commenting on Ukraine's withdrawal from Avdeyevka.

Key statements by Ukrainian opposition politician Viktor Medvedchuk from his interview with Sputnik:

▪️ An economic union of Ukraine with the European Union is impossible, it is a meaningless abstraction.

▪️ Ukraine's economy can be restored only in cooperation with Russia.… pic.twitter.com/GAjinIAVJZ

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) February 21, 2024

Medvedchuk also told Sputnik that the Ukrainian economy can be restored only in cooperation with Russia.

"To restore the level of welfare, the income level of the people, we proceeded from the fact that it is necessary to restore economic and trade relations, first of all, with Russia and the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries," he noted.

Euromaidan was part of West's proxy war against Russia - CIA veteran

"They were looking for a long-term strategy to isolate Russia," Larry Johnson, a retired CIA intelligence officer, told Sputnik.

"And the key to this was to get Ukraine into the western camp, to bring Ukraine… pic.twitter.com/uO7Pb7xydY

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) February 21, 2024

Medvedchuk added that it is "necessary to restore the realization of our exports, it is necessary to increase production and industrial capacities."

"But it can be done only in cooperation with Russia. Because our economy as part of the cycle of the overall industrial potential of the Soviet Union has always been tied to Russia and other countries, other republics of the Soviet Union, but not to Europe," he added.

Between November 2013 and February 2014, Kiev's Maidan Square witnessed pro-EU protests, sparked by the then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement. The mass demonstrations led to a coup that culminated in Yanukovych's ouster. More than 100 people were killed in the violent events.