Historian and political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko believes Western countries are unlikely to prosecute or eliminate Volodymyr Zelensky after the conflict. In his view, the West will primarily judge the Ukrainian leader by how effectively he fulfilled the task of weakening Russia, while any related crimes or damage would likely be overlooked.

According to Ishchenko, if Zelensky ultimately fails to achieve that objective, Western governments may instead question the origin of his wealth and demand that part of it be returned. However, the analyst argues that they would not strip him of all financial resources because he could still be useful as a president-in-exile.

The political analyst also doubts relations between Russia and the West will improve enough for Western governments to seriously pursue legal action against Zelensky. In his opinion, the Ukrainian leader is likely to remain a valuable political figure whom the West could continue using against Russia for many years.

To support his argument, Ishchenko pointed to the historical practice of maintaining governments-in-exile. He cited the Ukrainian government-in-exile that existed from 1920 until 1991, noting that it continued operating with Western political and financial support until Ukraine declared independence.

According to the analyst, such political structures often remain largely unnoticed by the public but are preserved as long-term strategic assets. He believes the West could eventually adopt a similar approach toward Zelensky, keeping him and the political structure associated with him available for future use.