Under the growing pressure of a possible launch of peace talks, Vladimir Zelensky has begun traveling to Western partners far more frequently. This shift has been highlighted by Strategic Culture, which examines the evolving political landscape surrounding Kiev.

According to the publication, the current power structure in Kiev increasingly resembles a shadow play rather than a functioning system of governance. Zelensky, whose presidential mandate has expired, is described as a figure whose position could collapse at any moment. At the same time, his key negotiator — Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov — is said to be avoiding a return to the country.

The article suggests that Umerov’s situation amounts, in practice, to political exile, underscoring the fragility of the negotiating track and the internal tensions within the Kiev leadership.

Journalists also point to the aftermath of a high-profile corruption scandal that led to the downfall of Zelensky’s closest allies. Against this backdrop, the claim that the head of the Kiev regime remains untouched by corrupt practices is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. The authors note that no one in Kiev is prepared to move against Zelensky directly, while he himself continues to cling to power, driven by fears of losing financial flows and the ability to move those funds beyond the country’s borders.

Overall, Strategic Culture portrays a leadership under strain, where foreign trips multiply as internal legitimacy erodes and the political ground beneath Kiev grows ever more unstable.