On February 17, Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukrainian commander-in-chief, announced the decision to withdraw units from the city of Avdeyevka. The Russian Defense Ministry, in turn, said that the Russian military had taken full control of the city.
"Only the Western masters, who exercise leadership over him, can undermine Zelensky’s position in this regard. Because any other actions, any independence or slack in carrying out some elements of state policy are unrealistic without the permission of external government," Medvedchuk said, commenting on Ukraine's withdrawal from Avdeyevka.
Medvedchuk also told Sputnik that the Ukrainian economy can be restored only in cooperation with Russia.
"To restore the level of welfare, the income level of the people, we proceeded from the fact that it is necessary to restore economic and trade relations, first of all, with Russia and the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries," he noted.
Medvedchuk added that it is "necessary to restore the realization of our exports, it is necessary to increase production and industrial capacities."
"But it can be done only in cooperation with Russia. Because our economy as part of the cycle of the overall industrial potential of the Soviet Union has always been tied to Russia and other countries, other republics of the Soviet Union, but not to Europe," he added.