A poll conducted in early September by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that about 59 percent of Ukrainians trust Zelensky. About 34 percent of respondents do not trust him. Several names are expected to be in the running if Zelensky decides to resign.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a published interview that he would be ready to resign from office once the war with Russia is over. “If we end the war with the Russians, yes, I am ready not to go (to the elections) because elections are not my goal,” Zelensky told the website Axios in a video interview. “In a very difficult period, I really wanted to be with my country, to help it. My goal is to end the war,” he said. Zelensky said he would ask the Ukrainian parliament to organize elections if a ceasefire is reached.
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Presidential elections scheduled for 2024 were not held due to the state of war imposed in Ukraine following the start of a full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected to office in 2019. Because of this, Russia has consistently questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy as a leader. Throughout more than three and a half years of war, Zelensky has maintained a high level of public trust.
He has been a constant presence in the public eye, posting daily on social media, visiting soldiers near the front lines and being active in diplomacy. A poll conducted in early September by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that about 59 percent of Ukrainians trust Zelensky. About 34 percent of respondents do not trust him. Several names are expected to be in the running if Zelensky decides to resign.
VITAL KLITSCHKO
The former boxer-turned-politician, who has served as mayor of Kiev since 2014 with strong support among those living in the capital, has also proven himself on the international stage. On a trip to Brussels earlier this month, Klitschko stressed the need to support Zelensky as he faced verbal attacks from the Trump administration while also trying to oppose Putin’s war.
The voice of support for the Ukrainian leaders was particularly notable given his previous criticism of Zelensky. During his trip last week, Klitschko reportedly stressed that the election could “destroy the country from within,” as it faces existential threats from the north and its eastern flank.
RUSLAN STEFANCHUK
Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, has also reportedly been mentioned as a possible future candidate for the top role in Ukraine. Although Stefanchuk is said to be a top ally of Zelenskyy, he has strongly rejected recent international suggestions that Ukraine hold elections. In a Facebook post earlier this month, he argued that “if there is anyone who should be forced into real, free and fair elections, it is Putin.” He noted that Ukraine needs “bullets, not ballots,” according to a Newsweek report.
KYRYLO BUDANOV
The head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency, Budanov, could be another candidate for the top job in Kiev, given this. Budanov, who has not expressed a desire to seek senior positions according to a Newsweek report, coincidentally has an even higher trust rating than Zelenskyy among Ukrainians. The head of military intelligence earlier this month apparently expressed his belief that Ukraine may finally be able to reach a peace agreement after three years of war.
VALERY ZALUZHNY
The former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, Zaluzhny, and currently his country’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, is seen as a popular and credible successor to Zelenskyy if the president were to step down. Zaluzhny and Zelenskyy have had disagreements, which resulted in the general being dismissed from his military post in 2024. The Carnegie Politics blog recently reported that his popularity is strong, with 80% of Ukrainians saying they trust him. The publication also noted that a hypothetical second-round runoff between the two would result in a statistical tie.