Zelensky faces 'reckoning' after ukraine-russia conflict ends, expert warns

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will face a reckoning from either a victorious Russia or from his own electorate after the war with Russia ends, an expert has warned. Simon Shuster, a

correspondent covering Russia and Ukraine and the author of "The Showman," an upcoming biography of Zelensky and his unlikely rise in politics, said: "There’s certainly going

to be a reckoning, at some point, maybe even during the war – certainly after the war, related to the failure to sufficiently prepare. "Those kinds of questions and grievances are

already bubbling up in the Ukrainian political arena and around kitchen tables across Ukraine. Why wasn't Ukraine more prepared? Why weren't people warned more?" Shuster began

his reporting on the ground in Ukraine with the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and got close to Zelensky’s campaign when he noticed the "upstart" former actor's

political profile growing during Ukraine's 2019 presidential election. The Ukraine expert insists that despite perceived misteps in the country's military reponse, Zelensky

continues to be immensely popular, and a clear rival hasn't yet emerged. READ MORE: UKRAINE REELING AFTER CORRUPT OFFICIALS STEAL £31M MEANT FOR WEAPONS FOR ALL THE LATEST ON NEWS,

POLITICS, SPORTS, AND SHOWBIZ FROM THE USA, GO TO DAILY EXPRESS US "If you take him at his word, that means conquering Ukraine, so I think neither side is backing down, and that does

not bode well for any kind of possible peace negotiations," he concluded. The conflict has now ground on for almost two years and has descended into a war of attrition following delays

in financial and military assistance for Kyiv from Western allies. It comes as the European Union is reportedly looking to try and cripple Hungary’s economy if it vetoes a proposed

£43million package of aid for Ukraine. The EU has drawn up a plan to withdraw all funding to Hungary that it believes would rattle financial markets, The Financial Times reported. Officials

believe the move would put Hungary under pressure by heavily undermining its currency and stifling foreign investment. Budapest has indicated that it may withdraw its veto at an upcoming

summit on February 1, having opposed the aid package in December. Hungary’s minister for EU affairs, Janos Boka, said the country "does not give in to pressure".