Zelenskyy Criticized Klitschko Over Delays in Preparations for Winter
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi to assemble a special team of administrators for Kyiv to develop solutions for preparing the capital for a difficult winter. According to the head of state, he discussed possible participation in this effort with Vasyl Malyuk, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Volodymyr Groysman, and Serhiy Sukhomlyn.
The president said he had spoken with various executives about the possibility of heading the Kyiv administration, but no one was willing to take on the role. Therefore, the head of state proposed a different approach—forming a special team of experienced managers from the business and public sectors.
“I spoke with various managers about whether they would like to head the Kyiv City Administration. No one wants to. If I were the mayor, I myself would ask them—smart people, experienced managers. I asked the Prime Minister to assemble a special team for Kyiv—business managers, capable people. I am ready to personally speak with whoever they recommend to me and ask them to take the job. Put together such a team and work out solutions. I’ll do what I can.
I wanted to include Malyuk in this group to address security issues. I also spoke with Kubrakov and Groysman. Sukhomlyn refused—as soon as he heard it was about Kyiv. I spoke with people from the business community and other areas of public administration. No one wants to get involved because then no one will say ‘thank you,’ and others will constantly be talking about politics,” Zelenskyy said.
Thus, the president is considering creating a separate management group that could help address the capital’s problems. Among its areas of focus, he cited security issues and preparing the city for the winter season.
The head of state emphasized that his initiative is not personally directed against Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. At the same time, according to Zelenskyy, the capital must be properly prepared for a difficult winter, and this requires effective coordination between various management teams.
“There is no political agenda on our part in this matter. I would very much like the mayor to handle everything on his own. But he cannot do it alone. And working together is difficult. Because as soon as we discuss with certain managers how to strengthen Kyiv, the mayor gets the impression that someone wants to replace him,” the president noted.
According to Zelenskyy, bringing in additional specialists should help strengthen the capital’s ability to respond to challenges, rather than become a pretext for political confrontation.
While speaking with journalists, the president also mentioned Kharkiv, where, he said, the administrative team continues to work despite serious security threats, including attacks with guided bombs.
Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of cooperation between the leadership of the regional administration and the mayor, even if their political views or plans for the future differ.
“But it’s great when every city has a team of managers who can solve problems and keep the situation under control. There, the head of the regional state administration and the mayor work together. I think that, from a political standpoint, they certainly have different plans for the future. But we have one common enemy, one winter, and one country. And we need to do something about this,” said the head of state.
Zelenskyy is calling for the formation of a team of experienced administrators for Kyiv to help develop solutions for the capital ahead of a difficult winter. At the same time, the president acknowledged that it is not easy to recruit volunteers for this work, as potential participants fear political accusations.
Zelenskyy made this statement during a conversation with journalists.
Earlier, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that the State Treasury Service had frozen the capital’s funds earmarked for the restoration of residential buildings damaged by Russian shelling. He called on the government to unfreeze the funding.
Kyiv has completed more than 60% of the measures outlined in the city’s resilience plan. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said they expect to complete all planned work by December.
