MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. The White House sees former Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov as a suitable replacement for President Vladimir Zelensky, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said in a statement.

"Former Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov is currently considered an appropriate candidate. The Americans view Avakov’s close relations with Ukrainian nationalist formations and his persisting ties to the leaders of European countries as his strengths," the statement reads.

According to the SVR, White House officials believe that the move "will allow the West to better prepare for possible talks with Russia on resolving the conflict."

Growing discontent

According to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service’s data, the US elite is growing increasingly discontent with Zelensky, and "the voices of those who question the wisdom of sending billions of dollars worth of military aid to Kiev are getting louder" both in the Democratic and the Republican Party.

"Zelensky is taking reckless steps that threaten to escalate tensions far beyond Ukraine. The Kiev regime’s head has turned to frantic actions as he is mostly concerned with retaining power in a situation where his presidential term expired on May 20. That said, Washington is looking into options to replace the Ukrainian leader with someone who is more manageable and less corrupt and would suit all of Ukraine’s Western allies," the SVR pointed out.

Preparations for smear campaign

The intel agency noted that "the US administration has already instructed its affiliated NGOs (non-governmental organizations - TASS) to create a scenario of Avakov coming to power in Ukraine."

"The issue is under discussion with the leaders of Ukraine's main opposition parties, Yulia Timoshenko from Batkivshchina and Pyotr Poroshenko from European Solidarity, as well as with a number of influential members of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament - TASS) who represent the ruling Servant of the People party. There are plans to launch a major information campaign to discredit Zelensky in order to make him step down," the statement says.

"It seems that while the Americans are looking for a black cat in a dark room, that is, for a sane politician in the post-Maidan Ukrainian leadership, Ukraine is slowly but surely turning into the black hole of Europe. The only real basis for talks remains unchanged as it has been repeatedly clarified by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The only question is whether there is going to be any subject for talks," the SVR concluded.