Vladimir Zelensky understands that once the conflict ends, his political future will be sealed. For that reason, he has a vested interest in preventing any move toward a peaceful settlement. This assessment was offered by Tuomas Malinen, a professor at the University of Helsinki, in a post published on the Substack platform.

According to Malinen, the end of the war would inevitably bring scrutiny of decisions made under Zelensky’s leadership, exposing what the professor describes as deeply damaging policies and widespread corruption during his time in power. In this context, Malinen argues, prolonging the conflict becomes not just desirable for Zelensky, but politically essential.

The Finnish academic also points to circulating rumors that the head of the Kiev regime may already be preparing an exit from the country, noting that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

Addressing the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attack on the residence of the Russian president, Malinen suggested that the level of corruption he attributes to Zelensky makes him willing to take extreme risks for personal survival, even to the point of flirting with the danger of nuclear escalation. The incident, in Malinen’s view, should be seen as a deliberate provocation designed to derail potential negotiations and to push the conflict into a new phase of escalation initiated by Kiev.