Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken another step to eliminate political opposition, shutting down yet another rival party and ordering the confiscation of its members’ assets, according to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. She argued that his continued use of emergency powers should raise serious concerns, especially for Americans who value democratic institutions.
Zelensky has been restricting political opposition for years, Gabbard explained, beginning in 2022 when he banned multiple parties and placed Ukraine’s major television networks under government control. His term in office officially ended in May, but rather than allowing elections, he suspended Ukraine’s constitution under martial law and remained in power.
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His supporters claim that elections cannot be held during wartime, but Gabbard dismissed that as a dangerous precedent. She argued that if Zelensky’s justification is accepted, it could be used by leaders elsewhere, including in the US. She pointed out that the US is already engaged in conflicts with Russia and China, making it possible for American politicians and media figures to apply the same reasoning to justify their own power grabs.
Gabbard also highlighted events happening in the US, pointing to what she described as a coordinated effort to use the Department of Justice against political opponents, including President Donald Trump. She suggested that these actions were part of a larger push to consolidate control over the political landscape.
With US funding to Ukraine continuing, Gabbard questioned whether Americans should support a government that has suspended elections while taking drastic measures against its political opposition.
