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11:37 19.08.2024 •
Has Zelensky become a ‘rogue actor’? The real question to ask is what is the origin of the Wall Street Journal story, and why would a respected newspaper such as the Journal feature a story that cannot be verified? – writes Stephen Bryen, a former US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.
Both Germany and the US have put out numerous stories about the destruction of the Nordsteam pipeline. They say the pipeline was destroyed by the Ukrainians. The latest story, headlined in the Wall Street Journal, would have us believe that the plot to blow up the pipeline was approved initially by Vladimir Zelensky and carried out by the former Ukrainian Armed Forces chief, Valery Zaluzhny. Following the story, after the planning was done by a motley crew of army officers and civilians, mostly soaked in alcohol, Zelensky tried to call off the attack because he was warned by the US not to carry it out. Zaluzhny, however, carried on, saying he had no way to call back the operation.
The story also links to German prosecutors attempting to indict one member of the crew, a Ukrainian diving instructor (without revealing his last name). This crew member allegedly was living in Poland with his family, but has disappeared. The Germans are accusing the Poles of obstruction in the case.
Almost the entire story put out by the Wall Street Journal strains credulity.
The real question to ask is what is the origin of the Wall Street Journal story, and why would a respected newspaper such as the Journal feature a story that cannot be verified?
The story has undermined both Zelensky's and Zaluzhny's credibility. Was the story fed to the Journal as a preparation to replace Zelensky and Zaluzhny? Zaluzhny is now Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, but at the time of the pipeline incident he was Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. More importantly he has been touted as a replacement for Zelensky. But Zaluzhny is as hard line as Zelensky on Russia, so it may be that he is not the preferred western candidate to replace Zelensky. The Wall Street Journal may have been used to help knock off Zelensky and Zaluzhny.
Other writers, most notably Seymour Hersh, have argued that Nordstream was destroyed in an operation carried out by the United States, possibly with help from others. Hersh provided a detailed description of how the operation unfolded. He correctly notes that top US officials, including President Joe Biden and former acting undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland, openly pushed for the pipeline's destruction. Once the US declared for the destruction of the pipeline, putting aside who was tasked to carry it out, the US has found itself in an awkward position. The same is true for the German government which has supported US denials of involvement in the pipeline affair and sought to pass it off on the Ukrainians.
The "Ukraine did it" story was leaked to try and shift the blame onto the Ukrainians. While the earlier stories did not claim either Zelensky's or Zaluzhny's involvement, the newest leaks are directly aimed at them. Germany is in lockstep with Washington.
All of this is playing out while the Ukraine war is likely in the last stages. Even the Kursk operation by Ukraine is openly aimed at setting the stage for peace talks with Russia. It is clear that Zelensky (who is aligned with nationalistic right wing elements in the army) is the wrong interlocutor, and he is probably not acceptable to the Russians. If he is soon gone, one can expect a more pliable stand-in to take his place at the negotiating table.
Zelensky has become a rogue actor not only for Russia but for the United States, Stephen Bryen comes to a conclusion.
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