Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov says he would “100%” return to lead the Defense Ministry if President Volodymyr Zelensky offered him the job, while arguing that resistance to his procurement reforms contributed to his abrupt dismissal earlier this month. In a wide-ranging interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Fedorov offered his most detailed account yet of the events surrounding his removal, the reforms he believes generated opposition, and his much-discussed dispute with then Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Asked directly whether he would return as defense minister if Zelensky offered him the position, Fedorov answered: “One hundred per cent.” “What would I say, not even to myself or the president, but to the active part of the public, which has made its position clear? There’s no walking away from this situation,” he said. Fedorov stressed that he was not seeking a government position simply to remain in power. “I really want people to understand that my goal is not to secure a job for myself,” he said. “I was completely fine about... not being in the government. That’s okay. I don’t need just any position.” But if he were to return, Fedorov said, it would need to be a job giving him genuine authority to pursue his vision for Ukraine’s war effort. “If I were to return to the government, given the mission I see for myself, it would have to be a position with real responsibilities. That is the Ministry of Defence,” he said.