In a statement to reporters on Thursday, Fedorov said that when he was appointed defense minister in January, his team had “a concrete plan on how to end the war.”
He said the key elements were protecting the skies, stabilizing the front lines and attacking the Russian economy.
“For six months we have been consistently executing this very plan. For the first time in recent years, Ukraine is starting to take the lead.
“Our joint results have created something unprecedented: a window of opportunity to bring Russia to peace through force. And we cannot lose that.”
He emphasized that he had never sought “position or status” and simply wanted to have “the opportunity to really influence the outcome and bring victory closer to Ukraine.”
Fedorov has already been replaced by Yevhenii Khmara, a former top official of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Prime Minister Zelenskyy, who held talks with Fedorov earlier this week, said he had offered Fedorov the position of Deputy Prime Minister for Military Innovation.
“This is a very important role, because innovation must be coordinated with the leadership of the Department of Defense, the Commander-in-Chief, and the President,” the president said Thursday.
But Fedorov refused. It is unclear whether his comments mean negotiations over his future are over.
“Discussions are continuing and it would be inappropriate to disclose details at this stage,” presidential adviser Dmytro Litvin said.
