Fedorov turns down Zelensky's offers, seeks return only as defense minister
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Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on July 23 that he would not accept any role offered by President Volodymyr Zelensky other than defense minister.
Fedorov made the remarks after holding several meetings with Zelensky following his dismissal on July 14, a move that sparked nationwide protests calling for his reinstatement.
Earlier on July 23, Zelensky said he had offered Fedorov several alternative positions, including deputy prime minister for military innovation.
"I'm grateful to the president for all the options offered. However, today there are only three positions in the country that, alongside the troops on the battlefield, actually shape the course of the war: the president, the defense minister, and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Fedorov said in a statement shared with reporters.
"That is why I will not accept any position other than defense minister."
Earlier on July 23, the President's Office said that talks between Zelensky and Fedorov were ongoing. The president's recent remarks suggested he had little intention of reversing course.
"No other role carries the actual authority to combat procurement corruption, complete the army's transformation, plan and execute asymmetric operations against the enemy, root out a culture of lies and unaccountability within the system, or finish the initiatives our team has already started at the defense ministry," Fedorov said.
Zelensky has offered only one public explanation for not reappointing Fedorov as defense minister, pointing to an alleged conflict between him and then Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was dismissed on July 21 amid protests.
Syrskyi's dismissal was one of the two protesters' demands. The other was Fedorov's reinstatement as defense minister. With the second demand still unmet, protest organizers have called for nationwide protests starting on July 24.
