McFaul: If Zelenskyy goes for Trump's plan, the military will stage a coup

Any conditions that US President-elect Donald Trump demands from Ukraine are a capitulation, not a deal. If Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to them, the Ukrainian military would immediately stage a coup.

This opinion was expressed by American political scientist, diplomat, and professor at Stanford University, as well as former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, on the air of the Russian TV channel «Dozhd».

«If Donald Trump continues to tell Zelenskyy: 'Give up territory, if you don't join NATO, we will stop arms supplies,' this is not an agreement — this is capitulation, this is to satisfy the aggressor,» he said.

Michael McFaul noted that Ukraine is a democratic country, so Volodymyr Zelenskyy cannot agree to the terms of an agreement under which «Russia gets everything and Ukraine gets nothing».

«When I talk to Ukrainians, I talk not only to officials, but also to soldiers. They are fighting for their brothers and sisters who died at the hands of Russian invaders. Not just for abstract concepts like homeland or democracy,» said Michael McFaul.

He noted that the Ukrainian military says: «we sat in the trenches for three years and now we just have to give everything to the Russians? Give everything to Putin?»

«No, I don't think the military would go for it. Even if Zelenskyy agreed to something like that, the military would immediately stage a coup. Therefore, when we ask what Zelensky is ready to give up, we must also ask what Putin is ready to give up,» the American political scientist emphasized.

It should be noted that Michael McFaul is the head of the Group of International Experts on Sanctions against Russia (the so-called Yermak-McFaul Group), established by the Office of the President of Ukraine to develop and implement sanctions policy against Russia. He is also a leading foreign policy expert and does not hold an official position. in the administration

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that Ukraine refuses security guarantees that may be offered as an alternative to the country's membership in NATO.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assumes that in the event of Ukraine joining NATO, Article 5 on collective security will not apply to the entire territory. But there can be no invitation to join NATO in parts.