Zaluzhnyi Plans Presidential Run With 73% Trust, Challenging Zelenskyy's 61%
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jul 1
Zaluzhnyi Plans Presidential Run With 73% Trust, Challenging Zelenskyy's 61%
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jul 1
Summary
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s former commander and current ambassador to the UK, is reportedly ready to enter the next presidential race once conditions allow, after telling Volodymyr Zelenskyy he would run if voting were held.
73% of Ukrainians say they trust Zaluzhnyi, according to KIIS polling, versus 61% for Zelenskyy, making the former general the clearest potential rival even as the president’s own support remains stable.
Zaluzhnyi reportedly said he never sought a political career but could not ignore public expectations, while Zelensky had asked him in mid-June about a possible autumn election amid concerns over political division.
His standing was built on leading Ukraine’s defense after Russia’s 2022 invasion and the Kharkiv counteroffensive, then surviving a 2024 dismissal as commander that many saw as tied to his rising popularity.
Is a wartime election a sign of Ukraine's democratic strength or a political gamble that risks national unity?
With elections illegal and unpopular, why is Zelensky suddenly pushing for a vote against his top rival?
Ukraine’s 2026 Presidential Election: Zaluzhnyi’s Candidacy, Wartime Constitutional Crisis, and the Battle for Democratic Legitimacy
Overview
Valerii Zaluzhnyi’s rumored presidential bid for Ukraine’s 2026 election has stirred the country’s political scene, even though neither he nor the president has confirmed it. After his dismissal as commander-in-chief in February 2024, Zaluzhnyi’s popularity remained high, though it lost some momentum. Since becoming Ambassador to the UK, he has stayed out of the spotlight and avoided criticizing President Zelenskyy, which has helped preserve his strong public image. This potential candidacy has shifted political discussions, highlighting tensions between military and civilian leaders and raising questions about Ukraine’s leadership and the challenges of holding elections during wartime.