DONETSK, October 21. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky is more afraid of peace than war, which is why he is rolling the dice, Alexey Muratov, head of the Donetsk People’s Republic’s (DPR) regional executive committee of the United Russia party, told TASS.

US President Donald Trump said earlier that Zelensky does not want to end the conflict with Russia, and probably never did. His adviser, Alex Bruesewitz, also pointed out that Zelensky’s inner circle benefits from the Ukrainian conflict, which is why he does not want to bring it to an end. According to Bruesewitz, ordinary Ukrainians, meanwhile, continue to endure immense suffering.

"Zelensky is not seeking peace because his conditions are impossible to meet. Peace means inevitable political, and, most likely, physical, death," Muratov said. "As long as Zelensky clings to power, conditions for him will only get worse. He understands this, but peace is more terrifying to him than war, so he’s gambling with his fate."

He added that Zelensky demands a strong army, NATO security guarantees, and a refusal by Russia to recognize Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya. "But no one is promising him NATO membership, and without it, any guarantees are just words on a piece of paper," the politician pointed out.

Muratov is convinced that Zelensky’s concerns about retaining power are precisely why he is linking the holding of presidential elections to the end of the conflict. "His approval rating is falling, his legitimacy is eroding, and elections can only be held ‘after the end of hostilities’ – that is, never, as long as he is in power. Peace would mean elections, and elections would mean defeat," he concluded.