Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes actions taken by dismissed defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov were misguided, describing their dispute publicly for the first time. Multiple outlets report Zelensky comments that include Fedorov’s alleged involvement in mass protests and calls for an election.
Several reports also add related remarks from Zelensky about defense and wartime coordination. He alludes to “problematic” decisions involving defense spending and says inaccurate information from Ukraine’s defense ministry contributed to an awkward encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Starlink use in Russia. Another theme across coverage is the reported shortage of Patriot air-defense missiles, with deliveries said to have declined over the past three years while Russian ballistic attacks intensify.
Some outlets focus narrowly on the political rift with Fedorov, while others include Zelensky’s broader comments on defense procurement and battlefield conditions, such as claims that Ukrainian forces have nearly fully recaptured Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. The differing emphasis reflects editorial choices, but the central points about the first public account of the dispute and Zelensky’s assessment of Fedorov’s actions are consistent.
