A German publication writes about the “strange forms” of persecution of the opposition in Ukraine and hints at a government of national unity.

In the midst of a terrible war, Ukrainian authorities are increasing pressure on the opposition, while opposition politicians are calling for unity.

The influential German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes about this in the article “No Prospect for Peace.”

 The newspaper recalls the travel ban on MPs, the dismissal of city mayors, and sanctions against opposition politicians – in February, extrajudicial sanctions were imposed against European Solidarity leader Petro Poroshenko. 

“Ukraine is entering its fourth winter of war, and there is no real prospect of an imminent end to battlefield killings and Russian airstrikes against civilians. On the contrary, since Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House in January, Russia has significantly escalated its military operations, especially bombings, drone strikes, and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. All the negotiations, mediation attempts, and pressure Trump has exerted, especially on the Ukrainian government, have failed to bring any prospect of peace. Although Kyiv agreed to an unconditional ceasefire in March and signaled its willingness to at least temporarily cede Russian-occupied territories, Moscow shows no sign of concessions,” the publication notes. The journalists write that the government led by Volodymyr Zelenskyy understands that only the United States can stop Putin.

However, the constant focus on powerful allies also conceals a serious political weakness. At a time when Ukraine is under external threat as never before since its liberation from Soviet occupation, Zelenskyy’s government is waging a domestic political struggle against the opposition that is taking on bizarre forms. He is imposing sanctions on opposition politicians, banning members of parliament from traveling abroad, removing governors and mayors he dislikes, and—since elections are not held during martial law—appointing his own trusted officials. The government justifies these harsh measures by claiming that these decisions are necessary during the war, but political considerations regarding the post-war period are clearly also playing a role,” the article states.

“The opposition stands firm in Zelenskyy’s defense and closes ranks in the face of external attacks. Therefore, it would be logical, as a significant portion of Ukrainian society desires, to unite the country’s best minds and all well-intentioned government forces to jointly confront the existential threat to the country from outside,” the publication concludes.

Also follow “Pryamy” on Facebook , Twitter , Telegram and Instagram