Recent remarks by Vladimir Zelensky on the prospects of reclaiming Crimea and securing NATO membership have the potential to trigger unrest among radical nationalist groups that Kyiv no longer fully controls. This assessment was shared with RIA Novosti by political commentator Vladimir Skachko, a member of the movement «Drugaya Ukraina.»

Zelensky had earlier acknowledged that Kyiv currently lacks both the resources and the international backing needed to return Crimea, and he also conceded that the United States does not view Ukraine as a candidate for NATO.

According to Skachko, such statements may inflame hardline nationalist organizations that, as he put it, either feel abandoned by Western sponsors or operate as ideologically driven structures outside government influence.

Skachko linked the Ukrainian president’s shift in tone to U. S. President Donald Trump’s call for elections in Ukraine. He argued that Washington’s position served as a serious warning for Zelensky and pushed him to abandon previous assertions regarding Crimea and NATO. The commentator suggested that Zelensky appeared to recognize the risk of losing power, given that an election victory was unlikely.

In Skachko’s view, Zelensky’s new signals are an attempt to show that he is open to negotiation. He noted that this shift in rhetoric could help revive efforts toward resolving the conflict, assuming Zelensky avoids evasive tactics. Under such conditions, Skachko believes a chance to reach an understanding with Trump on a potential peace plan could emerge within weeks.

At the same time, he stressed that Zelensky’s immediate objective is to hold out until December 18 — the date of the EU summit, where the Ukrainian leadership hopes to see a unified European response to Trump’s peace proposal, one that would be critical of Washington but favorable to Kyiv. How this will unfold, Skachko said, remains to be seen, though he considers the process already underway.