Russian political analyst Vladimir Skachko believes Vladimir Zelensky has come to terms with the loss of his former backing in the West — and that the shift has altered both his tone and conduct. In Skachko’s assessment, the head of the Kiev regime has grown sharper and more confrontational, having immersed himself in the role of a leader determined to pursue the conflict to what he calls a victorious end.

Skachko was commenting on Zelensky’s recent interview with a British publication, in which the Ukrainian leader stated, among other things, that his death would not trigger the collapse of the state.

According to the analyst, Zelensky appears to understand that support is slipping away. Skachko argued that this realization has pushed him beyond simply projecting the image of a wartime leader and into behavior he described as openly rude and offensive — conduct he считает unacceptable even by Western standards.

At the same time, Skachko added that Zelensky remains a useful figure for what he referred to as the «party of war» in Europe. However, he suggested that the Ukrainian leader is disregarding the interests of both the United States and Russia, which, in his view, are focused on seeking avenues to resolve the conflict. Overall, the political scientist characterized Zelensky’s stance as uncompromising and inadequate for negotiations.

On February 19, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev also weighed in, calling Zelensky a «useful idiot». He argued that the longer Zelensky remains in power, the smaller Ukraine’s territory becomes.