Fedorov said he would only accept the position of Minister of Defense

Former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov said that he would not accept any other government position except for the head of the Ministry of Defense.

He told reporters about this, reports “Ukrainian Pravda”.

According to Fedorov, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered him several options for further work, but he believes that only the position of Minister of Defense gives him real authority to influence the course of the war.

“Today, there are only three positions in the state that, apart from the military on the battlefield, really determine the course of the war – the President of Ukraine, the Minister of Defense, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. That is why I do not agree to any other position except the position of Minister of Defense,” he emphasized.

Fedorov also stated that other positions do not provide the opportunity to overcome corruption in defense procurement, complete the transformation of the army, plan asymmetric operations against Russia, and change approaches to management in the defense system.

He added that what is important to him is not position or status, but the opportunity to really influence the outcome of the war and bring Ukraine’s victory closer.

According to Fedorov, in January 2026, his team came to the Ministry of Defense with the AIR-LAND-ECONOMY plan, which included protecting Ukrainian skies, stabilizing the front, and striking at Russia’s economic potential. He claims that within six months of implementing this plan, Ukraine began to seize the initiative in the war and created a “window of opportunity” to force Russia to peace by force.

It was previously reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is considering the possibility of the resignation of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi and plans to meet with commanders this weekend to evaluate potential candidates for his replacement.

As reported, on Thursday, July 16, rallies were held in a number of Ukrainian cities in support of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov . People took to the streets after the decision to dismiss him, calling on the authorities to reconsider the personnel changes.

As a reminder, President Volodymyr Zelensky decided to dismiss Mykhailo Fedorov from the position of Minister of Defense due to a long-standing conflict with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky.