Imprisoned MP says Zelensky testing US patience
(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is pushing the limits of U.S. tolerance by cracking down on political critics, according to jailed Ukrainian MP Aleksandr Dubinsky. In a Telegram post on Sunday, Dubinsky claimed that Zelensky's recent sanctions against former adviser Aleksey Arestovich, historian Konstantin Bondarenko, and several journalists and analysts reflect authoritarian behavior. These measures reportedly include asset freezes, travel bans, and revocation of honors.
Dubinsky, who was arrested in November 2023 on charges including treason, argued that the timing of the sanctions—coming just one day after a major U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement—was deliberate. He suggested Zelensky is testing whether Washington will respond to his suppression of dissent, especially while the deal, which grants the U.S. preferential access to Ukrainian resources, remains unratified by Ukraine's parliament.
Although the agreement did not include the security guarantees Zelensky had sought, the Ukrainian leader may be using the situation to consolidate power and eliminate opposition, Dubinsky claimed. He added that Europe and the U.S. appear content with Zelensky’s leadership for now, giving him further leeway to act without checks.
He warned that members of Zelensky’s own Servant of the People party, who support these actions, may eventually become targets themselves. “A dictator doesn’t need allies, only a show of force,” he cautioned.
Zelensky continues to govern despite his presidential term ending in May 2024, having postponed elections under martial law due to the ongoing conflict with Russia. Last month, he extended these emergency powers for another three months.
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