At the end of last year, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy initially gave way, stating that he was willing to hold presidential elections with the guarantee of security from the United States and Europe. This made the domestic political situation in Ukraine a focus for attention worldwide. Many people began to speculate whether Ukraine will see a new leader.
According to the Ukrainian newspaper 'Kiev Post' on July 1st, Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK and former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Zhulgeny, met with Zelensky in Kiev recently to discuss issues related to the presidential elections. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Zhulgeny told Zelensky directly that if Ukraine holds general elections this fall, he is prepared to run for president.
Due to Zaluzhny's important role in the early stages of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where he led the Ukrainian army in defending key cities such as Kyiv and Kharkov, he has a high reputation in Ukraine. He is considered a major competitor to Zelenskyy in the election campaign. At the beginning of this year, Zaluzhny publicly criticized Zelenskyy's decisions regarding military matters, and the conflict between the two seems to be becoming more public.
However, whether Zalutin will replace Zelenskyy remains uncertain. Ukraine has not yet determined the date for the next presidential election. Ukrainian scholars believe that everything depends on the situation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. If no breakthrough is achieved in peace negotiations, elections may still be “far off.” Russian analysts are concerned that Zalutin is also a representative of the “war faction.” Even if he takes power, it will be difficult for Russia to advance the process of peaceful resolution of the conflict.
According to sources familiar with the matter, in mid-June, amid the preparation of British Prime Minister Sturmer's resignation, Zaluzhny was recalled to Kiev to meet with Zelenskyy. Since Britain is Ukraine's "strategic partner," the two discussed the changes in British politics and the potential impact that Sturmer's resignation could have on relations between Ukraine and Britain.
After that, the topic of discussion between the two turned to the Ukrainian presidential elections. Zelenskyy said that there is now an opportunity to hold general elections in Ukraine, but it is necessary to ensure that the election will not lead to new internal divisions. He asked Zhalugin, “If the presidential elections are held this autumn, would you run?”
Regarding this issue, Zhalugin gave a clear answer: “Yes, I will run for election.” The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army explained that he had never considered entering politics before, but many people have high hopes for him, and he cannot disappoint these people’s trust.
Sources close to the matter revealed that Zelenskyy did not wish to confront Zaluheni during the general election, but he also did not promise to offer senior government positions in Ukraine to Zaluheni. After ending their conversation, Zelenskyy and Zaluheni shook hands and said goodbye.
On February 8, 2024, Zelensky and Zalugin shook hands. IC photo
The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Committee of Ukraine, Umyrov, and the leader of the parliamentary faction of the "People's Public Servants" party, Alahamia, also met in Kyiv and Zhalugin. They all believe that Zhalugin's candidacy could lead to social division in Ukraine and called on him to reconsider his stance. In response, Zhalugin's position remains unchanged; he is still planning to run for president.
According to the Ukrainian Truth newspaper, Zelenskyy aims to restart the political process and persuade Zalutin to abandon his 'ambition' of running for president. However, this effort has apparently met with setbacks.
Zelenskyy's presidency was supposed to end in May 2024, but elections were not held as Ukraine entered a state of war.
According to European News TV, in July 2021, Zelenskyy appointed Zaluzhny as the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces. After Russia launched a 'special military operation', Zaluzhny played a key role in defending strategic locations such as Kyiv and Kharkov. This earned him high prestige and support from many Ukrainians.
After the defeat of the Ukrainian military counterattack in 2023, Zaluzhny was dismissed in early 2024 and became the ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom. At that time, Zelenskyy said that Zaluzhny had chosen to focus on diplomacy. Since then, Zaluzhny has gradually faded from public view. He avoids criticizing Zelenskyy and rarely comments on the relationship between the two.
However, as the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its fifth year, the tensions between Zaluzhny and Zelensky have been escalating. In February this year, Zaluzhny revealed in an interview with the Associated Press that he and Zelensky often had disputes over military strategies and other issues. He also accused Zelensky of being unwilling to allocate the necessary resources to Ukraine’s counteroffensive plans, which has had a significant impact on the Ukrainian military’s operations.
According to the Associated Press, although Zalutin rarely discusses his personal political ambitions, the conflict between him and Zelensky has become a 'cloud' that hangs over Ukraine's political landscape. Since Zalutin was removed from his position as general commander, many people have suspected that Zelensky actually intends to 'limit' Zalutin's political influence, keeping him 'away from Ukraine's daily affairs'.
Thanks to its achievements in the early stages of the conflict, Zalugin has maintained a high reputation within Ukraine. A poll conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology showed that as of early June this year, without any election-related issues, the public's trust in Zelenskyy was 61%, while Zalugin's trust level was 73%.
It is widely believed that if Ukraine holds a presidential election, Zalutin will become Zelenskyy's main rival. On July 1st local time, the Ukrainian polling organization Rating Group released a survey report stating that if elections are held now, Zelenskyy's support rate is expected to reach 32%, with Zalutin coming in second with a support rate of 16%.
Ukrainian newspaper 'Kiev Independent' pointed out that compared to the survey data in July 2025, Zaluyn's popularity has dropped by 9 percentage points.
The survey also showed that if Zelensky and Zalutin enter the second round of presidential voting, 42% of respondents would vote for Zelensky, while 39% would support Zalutin. Additionally, 10% of respondents said they would not vote, and 9% had not made a decision yet.
Additionally, Kiri Lo Budanov, the director of the President's Office in Ukraine, also receives support from some members of the Ukrainian population. He ranks third in opinion polls. However, Budanov has not publicly indicated any interest in running for president.
After taking the second term as President of the United States, Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned Ukraine's politics and urged Zelensky to hold presidential elections. Under pressure from Trump, in December last year, Zelensky stated that if the United States and Europe could ensure the security of the elections, Ukraine was willing to hold them. This statement broke with Ukraine's long-held principle of "elections after war".
Last month, Daniel Pratt, a former journalist for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), stated based on information from sources that Zelenskyy has decided to run for re-election, and that the Ukrainian presidential election could take place this fall. He claimed that Zelenskyy hopes to form an alliance with Zaluheni during the election.
However, Oksana Tropop, a media advisor for Zaluzhny, denied that the two had reached any “political agreement” regarding the election.
The French newspaper Le Monde states that although Zalutin rarely discusses political issues, he demonstrates clear political ambitions. He consistently maintains his public image, delivering speeches on important anniversaries, regularly publishing articles analyzing conflicts, and maintaining a high level of exposure in Ukrainian media.
Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict has reached a stalemate, peace negotiations have not made any progress. None of the parties can be sure whether the conflict will be resolved in the short term. This has cast a shadow over Ukraine's election plans.
Ukrainian international affairs expert Stanislav Ryholovski said in an interview with Ukrainian media on the 1st that when elections can be held depends on the situation on the front line. No one can predict the direction of events in the coming months. He believes that the autumn elections are just one of many possible scenarios, and hostile actions could still lead to further delays in holding the elections.
He believes that it is unusual for the news of Zaluzhny's meeting with Zelensky to be exposed, and he does not rule out that this could be a way to test the reaction of the Ukrainian public.
Regarding the election situation, Hrychowski analyzed that Zaluzhny is the most popular candidate, and he has no reason to give up such a political opportunity. If both Zelensky and Zaluzhny participate in the election, it will lead to a fierce political confrontation.
But Hryjovski also warned: “Zaluzhny must understand that he could lead post-war Ukraine. At that time, the government will face extremely complex challenges, and he will need to take on the responsibility of rebuilding Ukraine. Once in power, his high support rate may change rapidly, as society has very high expectations of him.”
On June 20th local time, Ukrainian soldiers in Zaporizhia region. IC photo
Polish political analyst Marek Miszkiewicz told RIA Novosti that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has expanded the political influence of the Ukrainian military, making them a dominant force in Zaluzhny. He said, "The Ukrainian military now has significant influence, resources, and support. They could become a major force in elections, and Zaluzhny is very popular both within the military and across Ukraine."
In conflict periods, military personnel and "national defenders" image were favored by Ukrainian populace but the situation change can fully possible alter people's views. He believes: "Election schedule and the final course of the conflict may change Ukraine voters' expectations."
Regarding the possibility of Zalutin challenging Zelenskyy's presidential position, Russia is cautious. Alexei Tsepa, vice chairman of the Russian State Duma's International Affairs Committee, said in an interview with Russian media that if Zalutin comes to power, it may be difficult to advance peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. He believes that both Zalutin and Zelenskyy represent the 'war faction' in Ukraine, which is not conducive to reaching a peaceful agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
Chipe also questioned whether Britain might try to influence Ukraine through Zalugin. "How trustworthy are they really? I don't trust any of them at all."
In March of this year, Zelenskyy emphasized in an interview with the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" that Ukraine would not hold elections during the temporary ceasefire and would have to wait until the war ended. At that time, he stated, "I'm not sure if I will participate in the elections. I need to see what the wishes of the Ukrainian people are."
Due to the continuous delays in the Ukrainian presidential elections, Russia has been trying to question Zelenskyy's legitimacy. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that Russia recognizes Zelenskyy as the "de facto leader" of Ukraine and is willing to meet with him, but any legally binding peace agreement must be signed by "legitimate government officials".
