-Analysis-
PARIS — Volodymyr Zelensky has just experienced one of the worst weeks of his life, though he has endured many since the Russian invasion nearly four years ago. But between the U.S. ultimatum, Russian bombing, and the loss of his right-hand man in a corruption scandal, it’s been a lot to take in.
Zelensky arrived in Paris on Monday with his wife for a reduced agenda: a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, followed by lunch at the Élysée Palace for the two presidential couples. The message is simple, as summarized by Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in an interview with La Tribune on Sunday: “The Ukrainian president has the legitimate right to lead his country towards peace.”
The key word is “legitimate.” This is a response to Vladimir Putin, who a few days ago described Zelensky’s power as “illegitimate.” The Russian president’s attack was all the more strange given that his own “legitimacy” is based on sham elections.
But Putin has Donald Trump’s ear, and a countermove was needed. It was also important to reaffirm the confidence that Paris and Europe still have in the Ukrainian president at a decisive moment.
Pressure on all fronts
Zelensky has to fight on several fronts simultaneously: there is, of course, the issue of his legitimacy. This is not granted to him by Macron, Putin, or Trump, but by the Ukrainian people themselves. The social contract between Zelensky and his fellow citizens was established on February 24, 2022, the day of the Russian invasion. But has it been broken by the most recent corruption scandal, which led to the departure of Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s closest collaborator and friend?
This affair has weakened Zelensky, and at the worst possible time. The Ukrainian president is under intense pressure from Trump’s ultimatum, demanding that he accept his “28-point plan” for peace in Ukraine. The deadline of before Thanksgiving Day last Thursday has finally been lifted, but that is not the end of the story.
Is Europe playing a role?
The Wall Street Journal newspaper noted in its editorial that the most pro-Russian members of the administration had seized on the corruption scandal to call for Ukraine to be abandoned. The newspaper urged readers to think twice before giving in to these Kremlin-led siren calls.
Is Europe playing a role during this decisive time? Ironically, yes; ironically because it was sidelined by the Americans during the initial talks with Putin’s men.
A Rubio pivot
But the Europeans were clever enough to get back into this turbulent game. They negotiated a plan with Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, that was less in line with Putin’s ambitions. On Sunday, Ukrainian emissaries met with the American negotiator Steve Witkoff in Florida, the “protagonist” of the phone conversations that revealed his complacency towards Putin. Negotiations are continuing.
In the meantime, Moscow has made it clear that the amended plan is no longer acceptable. Hence the accusation of “illegitimacy” leveled at Zelensky, so that Ukraine will have to take the blame for a possible, if not probable, failure in the negotiations.
This makes one of the prime purposes of Monday’s lunch at the Élysée Palace is to show, despite all the difficulties, that Europe is not abandoning Ukraine.