Zelenskyy details rift with Ukraine’s dismissed Defense Minister Fedorov

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly detailed his rift with dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov for the first time. Zelenskyy described Fedorov's actions, including his involvement in protests and calls for elections, as "misguided." Fedorov, credited with modernizing Ukraine's military and drone warfare, was dismissed last month following reported disagreements with the country's top military commander. Zelenskyy warned that holding elections during the war would pose enormous risks and could "split Ukraine apart."

Zelenskyy also addressed an awkward encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Starlink. He stated that inaccurate information provided by the Defense Ministry led him to incorrectly tell Trump that Elon Musk had agreed to allow Starlink use over Russian territory. Zelenskyy noted that this incident was among the reasons for his recent administrative decisions. He also defended former army chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi and current Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara against public vilification.

Regarding the battlefield, Zelenskyy highlighted a severe shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles, noting that deliveries from Western allies have declined over the past three years. He expressed a goal to secure 300 additional Patriot missiles for the winter. Despite these challenges, he reported battlefield gains in the Dnipropetrovsk region and predicted that Ukraine could reach parity in occupied versus reclaimed territory by the end of the year.

Zelenskyy further noted that the Defense Ministry faces a $27 billion budget shortfall. Addressing ongoing corruption inquiries, he stated that anti-corruption investigators have found no evidence of his involvement. Meanwhile, leaders from Nordic and Baltic nations arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to pledge continued military and financial support ahead of Ukraine’s Independence Day.