Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly detailed his differences with former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, saying the dismissed minister had moved towards positions that he believed were wrong for Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly detailed his differences with former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, saying the dismissed minister had moved towards positions that he believed were wrong for Ukraine during the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy said he still had a positive personal view of Fedorov but disagreed with his involvement in protests against his dismissal and his calls for elections during wartime.
He also pointed to problems involving defence spending and information supplied by the Defence Ministry, including an episode that led to an uncomfortable exchange with US President Donald Trump over the use of Starlink in Russia.
The Ukrainian president made the comments during a two-hour meeting with journalists on Saturday. A transcript of the discussion was released on Sunday, and reported by the Associated Press.
Zelenskyy says Fedorov rejected four options
Fedorov, who was credited with pushing technology and drone warfare deeper into Ukraine’s military, was dismissed last month after tensions reportedly emerged between him and the country’s top military leadership.
His removal was followed by weeks of protests, while Fedorov later called for elections. Zelenskyy said he had offered the former minister four different ways to remain involved in the government, but Fedorov rejected all of them.
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Zelenskyy strongly opposed the idea of holding elections while the war continues. He said a nationwide vote under current conditions could create serious political divisions and potentially “split Ukraine apart”.
He added that Ukraine’s partners had previously pressured Kyiv to consider elections but had not offered a workable plan to ensure that a vote could be conducted safely and democratically during the conflict.
Starlink dispute with Trump
Zelenskyy also discussed an episode involving Starlink that he said was partly linked to information provided by the Defence Ministry.
According to Zelenskyy, the ministry had informed him earlier this year that SpaceX and Elon Musk had agreed to allow Ukraine to use Starlink over Russian territory for deep-strike operations. Based on that information Zelenskyy raised the proposal with Trump, and told him that Musk had agreed to the proposal.
However, Zelenskyy said that Trump later told him that Musk had rejected the proposal, and accused him of having misled the US president.
Zelenskyy said he returned to the Defence Ministry after the exchange and was told that the information given to him might have been incorrect. He did not directly accuse Fedorov of deliberately misleading him, but indicated that the episode contributed to the decisions taken around the ministry.
Ukraine faces defence budget gap
Zelenskyy also warned about growing financial pressure on Ukraine’s war effort. He said the Defence Ministry was facing a budget gap of around $27 billion after funds intended for later in the year were spent earlier.
At the same time, he said Ukrainian forces had made progress on the battlefield. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine had regained almost all of the Dnipropetrovsk region, with only about 10 square kilometres remaining under Russian control.
He said Russia had captured around 990 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory since the beginning of the year, while Ukrainian forces had retaken about 820 square kilometres. Zelenskyy predicted that the two figures could reach parity by the end of 2026.
Patriot missile shortage worsens
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was also struggling to secure enough Patriot air-defence interceptors as Russia increases ballistic missile attacks.
He said Ukraine received 675 Patriot missiles in 2023, but the figure fell to 364 in 2025 and is expected to drop to about 264 this year. Kyiv wants another 300 missiles for the coming winter, while its air force has requested 360.
Zelenskyy said Russia could eventually produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles a year, compared with an estimated current capacity of around 600.
He added that Ukraine was looking for alternatives to Starlink, including a European communications system, as Russia and China develop competing satellite communication capabilities.