MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) gave specific instructions to Vladimir Zelensky at the very beginning of his presidency in 2019 which he followed to the letter, ex-Ukrainian Prime Minister (2010-2014) Nikolay Azarov has said.
For instance, the instructions contained a demand to unleash an armed conflict with Russia over Donbass.
"About two years ago, I was brought the special directives for him [Zelensky] from Ukraine which were prepared by USAID. <...> I read them. This person [Zelensky], who did not have the slightest idea as to which policy course he would pursue in politics or economy, received clear instructions. <...> There was a clear warning that if he was to cross these red lines, he would disappear," Azarov told the Soloviev Live TV channel. "You must enter a military conflict with Russia because you must win back Donbass and Crimea. And this is why you must prepare Ukraine for a military conflict," he cited the directives as saying.
According to the former prime minister, using the rhetoric on Ukraine’s accession to NATO and the EU was also among these compulsory instructions for Zelensky, although it was indicated that no such thing would happen.
Earlier, the head of the Other Ukraine movement, ex-leader of the banned Opposition Platform - for Life party Viktor Medvedchuk, said that Zelensky had erred by overestimating his geopolitical role, as he has been a pawn, not a queen as he was told, since the very beginning. The politician called Zelensky a "major geopolitical beggar," who has been waging a war against a stronger power, lacking enough forces and means for that.
In early February, US President Donald Trump suspended the activities of USAID, which had allocated significant funds to finance international organizations. Later, the US administration revealed plans to cancel 92% of the agency’s and the State Department’s foreign aid contracts, aiming to save the US government about $60 billion.