Zelenskyy tells Biden: Wagner mutiny ‘exposed the weakness of Putin’s regime’

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed in a call with US President Joe Biden the latest turmoil in Russia and how the Wagner mutiny exposed the “weakness” of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime.

The Ukrainian presidency said Zelenskyy and Biden shared their assessments of the developments in Russia.

Zelenskyy said: “Yesterday’s events exposed the weakness of Putin’s regime.” He added that the world must put pressure on Russia until international order is restored.

The two leaders also discussed further expansion of defense cooperation, particularly, increasing Ukraine’s firepower on the battlefield with long-range weapons.

Zelenskyy thanks Biden for US support: “I am grateful for your readiness and the readiness of the American people to stand side by side with Ukraine until the full liberation of all our territories within internationally recognized borders.”

The White House said the two leaders discussed recent events in Russia, but did not provide further detail. It said that the two presidents discussed Ukraine’s ongoing counter-offensive, and Biden reaffirmed unwavering US support, including through continued security, economic, and humanitarian aid.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner group, triggered an unparalleled political crisis in Russia’s recent history through his armed insurrection, having pledged on Friday to overthrow the nation’s military hierarchy.

Over the weekend, Prigozhin instructed his troops to seize a crucial military base in southern Russia and initiate a march on Moscow, only to unexpectedly order them to reverse course after an agreement was reached on Saturday with the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. The sudden nature of how this mutiny started and ended has left many, both within Russia and internationally, taken aback.