The Ukrainian leader has insisted that ousting him would be a formidable challenge

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has reiterated his offer to NATO to resign in exchange for the opportunity to join the US-led military bloc. Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, the Ukrainian leader insisted however, that removing him from power would prove difficult.

His comments came after US National Security Adviser Mike Waltzsaidthat Zelensky's personal ambitions appear to be detrimental to Washington's goal of ending the Ukraine conflict. Waltz voiced his concern following Zelensky's disastrous visit to the White House last Friday, which ended abruptly after a public disagreement with President Donald Trump.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Lindsey Graham - the latter a staunchsupporterof Ukraine - have also suggested Zelensky should resign.

Zelensky decamped to London following the White House debacle, where, following a meeting with European heads of state, he emphasized that he would only relinquish power if he believed he had accomplished his historic mission.

"To change me, it will not be easy because it is not enough to simply hold elections. You would need to prevent me from participating. And it will be a bit more difficult," he remarked to the British news outlet after meeting foreign leaders in London.

The Ukrainian leader labeled calls by foreign officials for his resignation as "unconstructive and undemocratic." He referred to Graham as a "very good guy," adding that the senator's opinion about who should lead Ukraine would hold weight only if he became a citizen, which Zelensky offered to arrange.

Although Zelensky's presidential term expired last year, he has refused to cede power to the parliament speaker as mandated by the Ukrainian constitution, citing martial law. Trump previously described him as a "dictator without election," claiming that contrary to Kiev's assertions, Zelensky's approval rating remains in single digits.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that in a hypothetical presidential election, Zelensky would lose to retired General Valery Zaluzhny, adding that the current situation benefits Moscow.

"Our interest lies in keeping him in power, allowing him to further corrupt the regime we are in conflict with," Putin stated in an interview before the confrontation at the White House. He added that Ukraine would benefit from taking "vigorous action in the opposite direction."

(RT.com)