Zelensky's political future uncertain as election looms

As reported by "The Economist", preparations for the presidential elections in Ukraine have already commenced. Work is in progress on drafting candidate lists and making arrangements within district electoral commissions.

Supporters of one of the incumbent president's potential rivals assert that Ukraine needs elections. Nonetheless, they are cautious about making public statements due to concerns about a possible strong reaction from Volodymyr Zelensky.

Internal polls cited by "The Economist" suggest Zelensky would face defeat in the election. Nearly three years since Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the current president is no longer viewed as a war hero.

The leading contender is thought to be the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhny, who was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom following a conflict with Zelensky last year. Although many are encouraging Zaluzhny to run for president, his political intentions remain unclear, explained a source in the publication.

"Zelensky has only one way out to get out with an intact reputation. That is to run elections [without him] and go down in history as the man who united the nation in war," says the informant.

At the end of September, "The Economist," citing informed sources, reported that Zelensky is contemplating holding presidential elections in 2025 to bolster his power.

The American National Democratic Institute indicates that Ukrainians' trust in the current president dropped from 80% in May 2023 to 45% in 2024. Overall confidence in the government has diminished even further. "The political process has definitely started," stated former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko, who has run for president three times, as quoted by "The Economist".

Zelensky’s five-year term concluded in May 2024, but elections were postponed due to the ongoing war.