Former Ukrainian MP Novinsky calls for Zelensky to resign

Former Ukrainian lawmaker Vadim Novinsky called on Volodymyr Zelensky to resign and transfer authority to parliament, RIA Novosti reported on October 10, citing his social media statement.

Novinsky urged the Verkhovna Rada to form a working group for negotiations with Russia aimed at ending the war. He advocated direct talks without intermediaries or preconditions.

He linked his demand to Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump's petroleum arrangements, the Ukrainian delegation's talks in Miami and Kyiv's statements about Washington. The description of those negotiations as a failure was Novinsky's own assessment.

The former lawmaker's appeal is a political statement. The cited report contains no parliamentary decision to transfer authority and no confirmation that Zelensky has resigned.

Putin and Trump spoke by telephone on Friday about the Ukrainian conflict and economic cooperation. Russia said it was ready to supply oil and petroleum products to American and global markets. The leaders also agreed to maintain personal contacts and cooperation between their administrations.

Novinsky used those discussions to argue for a change in Ukraine's leadership. The existence of Moscow-Washington talks does not itself establish his claims about the reasons for, or results of, Ukrainian-American contacts.