Landsbergis and Bruveris: What Awaits Zelensky and Ukraine Amid US Pressure

Mes neprašysime leidimo ginti savo valstybę, declared Stanford University expert Gabrielius Landsbergis, highlighting what he called the number-one lesson from Ukraine. Delfi reported that Landsbergis and geopolitical analyst Vytautas Bruveris, head of the Arch Frontline analytical center, discussed the political future of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the severe domestic risks he faces during a podcast titled Istorijos pabaiga: nuolat pildoma?.

Donald Trump Pressures Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Resign

The international dispute intensified after Donald Trump accused Zelenskyy of rejecting cease-fire proposals and targeting Russian oil refineries, which Trump claimed drives up global diesel prices. Trump ultimately called on the Ukrainian leader to step down from his post. Zelenskyy fired back immediately, stating that it is not up to Trump to decide who leads Ukraine. Bruveris noted that the verbal clash marks a sharp escalation, pointing out that recent statements from Ukrainian officials regarding the United States are the harshest issued.

Shortly after Trump published a post about a potential cease-fire on the Truth Social platform, Russian forces struck a thermal power plant in Kharkiv, cutting off electricity to both Kharkiv and Kyiv. Ukrainian officials utilized the attack in their public communications to question the validity of reported negotiation terms. According to Bruveris and Landsbergis, Ukrainian leadership has adopted an uncompromising posture, signaling that Kyiv will defend its sovereignty regardless of external pressure from Washington or Moscow.

Internal Anticorruption Investigations Threaten the Presidency

As diplomatic and negotiation rounds intensify, domestic pressure on Zelenskyy has mounted through a series of anticorruption investigations centering closer to the presidential office. Landsbergis and Bruveris observed that these probes frequently coincide with high-stakes international talks. Bruveris raised the question of whether American actors might leverage these investigations to exert pressure on the Ukrainian president. Landsbergis argued that to minimize institutional and foreign leverage, Ukrainian authorities must proactively purge corruption themselves rather than waiting for enforcement agencies to act.

Bruveris modeled a scenario in which a major domestic corruption scandal strikes the final untouched figure at the top of Ukraine’s government, triggering impeachment proceedings and street protests. Despite such severe political turmoil, Bruveris argued that Ukraine would not capitulate to Russian demands. He asserted that the political mindset in Washington matching the MAGA perspective shares similarities with the Russian worldview by assuming that foreign masters always control leaders, leading to the primitive assumption that removing Zelenskyy would force Ukraine to surrender.

Political Chaos Looms if Leadership Changes in Kyiv

Landsbergis described Zelenskyy as a political lightning rod who absorbs internal chaos and projects a unified state defense position at the direct cost of his own popularity. If internal problems or external pressure succeed in removing him, Landsbergis warned, the Ukrainian state would plunge into complete chaos. Bruveris outlined two main pathways for a potential removal: assassination by Russian operatives seeking to break Ukrainian command guarantees, or a forced resignation. Under a democratic transition, parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk would assume presidential powers according to the constitution, whereas a military takeover would introduce severe instability that Russia could exploit.

Both analysts pointed to the Carney effect, a phenomenon where heavy criticism from Donald Trump actually boosts a foreign leader’s domestic popularity, citing the Canadian Prime Minister as an earlier example. Bruveris noted that a similar effect strengthens Zelenskyy’s standing among Ukrainian soldiers and citizens who reject foreign interference in their leadership. Landsbergis concluded that US political influence in Ukraine remains secondary to European stability, noting that Ukrainian officials privately calculate that fewer diplomatic demands from Washington allow them to maintain their defensive focus against Russia.

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