Presidential Republic, a Million Questions for Razumkov and Ukraine's “Brazen” International Policy: Key Points from Zelensky's Speech in Truskavets

The President of Ukraine is taking part in a meeting of the Servant of the People faction in Truskavets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Truskavets, where a working meeting of the parliamentary faction Servant of the People is taking place.

There, the president spoke about the possibility of amending the Constitution to expand his powers, responded to rumors about changing Ukraine's form of government to a presidential republic, described his attitude toward Verkhovna Rada Speaker Dmytro Razumkov, and shared other details.

Constitutional Amendments and the “Presidential Republic”

Journalists asked Zelensky why he controls the work of the Cabinet of Ministers, and asked whether, against this backdrop, he plans to change the form of government to a “presidential republic”.

Volodymyr Zelensky 
President of Ukraine

I'm not going to make a presidential republic! The reason for my intervention (in the work of the Cabinet of Ministers — ed.) is that people come to Bankova with problems and demand that I solve them. What am I supposed to do?

Zelensky explained that in such cases he summons the relevant minister to his office, together with deputies and heads of departments, with whom they jointly resolve the emerging problems.

He also says that he intervenes when a “dangerous moment” arises and the prime minister, like any other head of government, cannot resolve the issue. “For example, as happened in energy — the heating season issue, Russian gas prices,” Zelensky said.

The president insists that he does not put any pressure on the prime minister. «» - he notes. And adds: “Because I care, we were able to preserve a lot.”

Volodymyr Zelensky 
President of Ukraine

Nobody there bangs on the table and says “it will be this way.” No. But I could completely refrain from intervening in such issues, then more people will be under the Office on Bankova with the question: “Why did we elect you president?”.

Journalists also asked Zelensky whether he plans to amend the Constitution to expand his powers.

Volodymyr Zelensky

The Constitution has been changed for everyone except me as President of Ukraine. Where I did change it — parliamentary immunity, and people changed the Constitution regarding the concentration of power. By the way, I want to remind you that several times people simply could not divide power and therefore changed the Constitution. That's all.

He also stressed that he does not aim to concentrate power in one pair of hands, since “the task is not this, but to change the country for the better.”

Volodymyr Zelensky

I don't need any power at all. And from the very beginning. I came to change something, I promised something. If there are certain obstacles on this path, then let's pave another path, or hand the wheel to another driver of this process, and let that person, as it was before, the president, the speaker and the prime minister, let them work from three different teams. Let there be no concentration at all, let all decisions be made over years. Shall we try it this way?

Ukraine's “Brazen” International Policy

Zelensky spoke about Ukraine's foreign policy, describing it as “brazen” because, without that, “no one will see Ukraine's steps forward.”

Volodymyr Zelensky

We have no time to count on being admitted to the European Union: “let's wait another five years.” You know that we are at war. I don't want to complain. I believe we are strong. And today our policy is “brazen.” And I am convinced that without a strong international policy, without such “brazenness,” no one will see Ukraine's steps forward.“

He said that the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “have done a lot” for Ukraine's international subjectivity, and that this is “the main victory of this year.”

On Meeting Putin

Zelensky said he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin both face to face and within the framework of a Normandy Four summit, and that this could lead to “unexpected results.”

Volodymyr Zelensky

I would like to meet with the President of Russia. I understand that a face-to-face meeting would be quite substantive. I understand that the Russian side, the entourage of the Russian president, does not want him to hold this meeting precisely in a face-to-face format, because this meeting could bring unexpected results.

Zelensky believes that any meeting at such a level will help Ukraine resolve the war in eastern Ukraine and the issues of occupied Crimea.

He added that the Russian side is currently holding back such meetings.

A “Million Questions” for Razumkov

Regarding the question of the resignation of Verkhovna Rada Speaker Dmytro Razumkov, Zelensky noted that he is no longer a member of the governing team and that the Servant of the People party has accumulated “a million questions” for him.

Volodymyr Zelensky

The party has a million questions, I heard them all yesterday, a million questions for the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. We all understand that today he is not a member of this team, and he says so quite openly.

According to Zelensky, Razumkov, as part of the Servant of the People, should have supported the party's position on sanctions and the fight against oligarchs, but “went another way.”

According to him, the Servant of the People faction will hold a meeting to discuss the candidate for the post of Verkhovna Rada Speaker.

“I will be president until I fulfill all my promises”

At a meeting with deputies, Zelensky said he wants to remain president until he fulfills all his promises.

However, journalists then asked him directly whether he meant a second presidential term by this, to which he gave a vague answer.

Volodymyr Zelensky

I have not decided anything regarding a second term. What I said about leaving once I fulfill all my promises was about something else. We had statistics: we have fulfilled 30-35% of our promises and our program, and half of the term has already passed. I said that if we do not work quickly with you, especially in the Verkhovna Rada, because the statistics concerned precisely legislative work, if we are constantly told that this contradicts the rules, and if there is constant political spam through thousands of amendments, we will not manage to do it. And I want to do everything and manage to do all that I promised.

At the same time, he noted that if he manages to fully implement his program, for example in 4.5 years, he will still stay and “work” until the end of the term.

Traffic Accident Involving Trukhin

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he did not look into the details of the high-profile traffic accident involving Servant of the People MP Oleksandr Trukhin, in which six people were injured, simply because no one died there.

Volodymyr Zelensky

I cannot understand and know all the details of various criminal cases that arise from, excuse me, traffic accidents. No one died there, thank God, everyone is alive. If something like that had happened, God forbid, believe me, the person would no longer be here. So let it go to the end. I cannot know everything, although I want to.

He said he knows that Trukhin was involved in an accident, and that law enforcement agencies should say what exactly happened there.

Two New Airports in Donbas and the Mines Problem

Zelensky said that two new airports are planned in Donbas as a temporary alternative to those located in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk.

He noted that a site has already been found for an airport that will provide air links with Mariupol, since an airfield cannot be built in the city itself due to security concerns.

In addition, according to Volodymyr Zelensky, the situation with the Donbas mines remains difficult.

Volodymyr Zelensky

It is clear that they are unprofitable, but this is a question about people. Either they need to be given an alternative, or these mines need to be modernized. There is a similar problem in Lviv region too. We are working on this.

In the context of Donbas, Zelensky also stressed the importance of information security and countering Russian enemy propaganda.

Volodymyr Zelensky

Today we are discussing with European Union countries how to turn the Ukrainian channel into an international channel that will speak abroad about the real situation in Ukraine. This is the fight against Russian disinformation.

Saakashvili's Return

Zelensky said he is using all his capabilities to free Ukrainian citizens and return them to Ukraine, including Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili.

Volodymyr Zelensky

As President of Ukraine, I constantly do what returns Ukrainian citizens. Using the capabilities I have, which power has given me. Mr. Saakashvili is a citizen of Ukraine, so this concerns him as well.

According to him, all institutions are involved in this work, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic missions working in Georgia, the Ambassador of Georgia to Ukraine, as well as the prime ministers of the two countries.

He also added that he did not know about Saakashvili's trip to Georgia.

Volodymyr Zelensky

I was very surprised and saw it in the press. Everyone was looking for him. Then a message appeared that he was already in Georgia — the first signal about Batumi came from him, and then he was arrested. I did not know in advance about his decision. I believe this is still wrong, because he holds a state position. But all the details and risks need to be understood.