US and UK officials have allegedly held a covert meeting with top Ukrainian powerbrokers to discuss removing President Vladimir Zelensky and replacing him with former military chief Valery Zaluzhny, according to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

The SVR claims the secret meeting took place at an undisclosed Alpine resort and involved key figures including Zelensky’s chief of staff Andrey Yermak, military intelligence head Kirill Budanov, and Zaluzhny, currently Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK.

According to the SVR, Western officials agreed that Zelensky’s time was up and considered his replacement a “key condition” for restoring relations and continuing military aid. Yermak and Budanov reportedly supported the plan, having been promised to retain their positions under a Zaluzhny presidency.

Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s armed forces chief from 2021 to 2024, remains popular and is widely seen as a strong contender in any potential election.

The SVR also linked the move to Zelensky’s controversial attempt to strip anti-corruption bodies of their independence—a decision it claims Yermak encouraged to damage Zelensky’s image and justify his removal.

Addressing Ukrainians, the SVR remarked: “A new president has been chosen at an Alpine resort. Is this the democracy you hoped for?”

Zelensky’s term officially ended in May, but elections have been suspended under martial law. Russia now considers him illegitimate, claiming real power lies with Ukraine’s parliament.