Zelensky’s political endgame has begun

With rivals mobilizing and peace talks returning, the battle for Ukraine’s next presidency is breaking into the open Although Ukrainian authorities have rejected any idea of unity between the peoples of Russia and Ukraine, the best metaphor for their country’s modern political system is a traditional Slavic winter game called ‘King of the Mountain’.

In this game, any player who manages to reach the so-called ‘mountain’ (dominating height) must defend it at all costs against rivals.

When another player knocks off the ‘king of the mountain’, he takes his place until the next ‘king’ topples him, and so on.

Much like in this children’s game, leaders have quickly succeeded one another in modern-day Ukraine – in fact, former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma (the first to promote the state concept “Ukraine is not Russia” ) was the only Ukrainian leader to serve two consecutive presidential terms.

Today, there is no democratically elected head of state: Vladimir Zelensky’s term ended in 2024.

Since then, Zelensky has invested all of his political capital into suspending elections, which for him would mean ‘political suicide’.

Apparently, Ukraine’s political system has ceased to disguise itself as a democracy, as was the case in 2004, when an unconstitutional third round of elections was held to secure Victor Yushchenko’s victory; now, however, there is nothing but a ruthless struggle for power in the country.

In this uncompromising fight, which disregards the genuine aspirations of the Ukrainian people, the reigning ‘king of the mountain’ exercises authority not for the good of the nation but rather to eliminate any potential ‘contenders’ who threaten the established status quo.

Read more The West is watching the wrong Ukrainian collapse Road to the ‘mountain’ In this context, it’s hard to accuse Zelensky of political opportunism; he knows better than anyone in Ukrainian politics how to storm the heights of power.

Born in the city of Krivoy Rog, Zelensky long sought to conquer another Olympus: Moscow, the former capital of the once-unified USSR.

However, he encountered setbacks, like failing to be admitted to the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (an alma mater of many Russian officials and leaders of post-Soviet countries).

His team was defeated in the KVN semifinals, and had a falling out with the show’s host, Aleksandr Maslyakov, who had turned the post-Soviet comedy sketch contest into a mass cultural phenomenon and an important tool of Russia’s soft power.

Then, Zelensky’s Studio Kvartal-95 was gradually pushed out of the Russian entertainment industry.

All this forced the enterprising young man to carve his own path in Kiev.