In February 2022, bondholders – including US financial giants BlackRock and Pimco, as well as French asset manager Amundi –granted Ukraine a two-year debt freeze in view of its conflict with Russia. But that agreement expires in August, and Kiev’s creditors are anxious for it to begin paying interest on its debt again.
According to the outlet, the arrangement is worth 15% of Ukraine’s annual GDP
Most likely scenarios for Kiev involve an extension on its debt-service freeze until 2027 or the declaration of a default, the outlet said. Either way, Ukraine will not resume payments to its creditors, it added.
That would definitely speed up the clock on Zelenskyy being replaced, one way or the other.
What would Zelenskyy’s handlers have him do differently that would suggest him needing to be replaced?
Specifically, don’t know. But I’d guess that, at a minimum, talking about not paying creditors and upsetting financial markets (unless this IS what his handlers have decided he needs to be doing. I guess there’s probably some way to work things out behind the scenes to not upset the wrong people) probably isn’t on the list.