Zelenskyy: Not certain I will run for second term

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is uncertain whether he will run in the next presidential election, stressing that any vote in the country can only take place after the end of the armed conflict.

In remarks reported by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Zelenskyy stated plainly: “And I am not at all sure that I will run.” He underscored that Ukraine would be ready to hold elections only once hostilities have ceased.

Earlier, on February 14, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy said he would be prepared to organize elections provided there is a two-month ceasefire. At the same forum in Munich, he also expressed hope that the conflict with Russia could be brought to an end in 2026.

On February 24, the president clarified that he remains “within the limits of his first term not by his own will,” explaining that his tenure has effectively been extended because of the outbreak of the conflict. He added that he would seek a second term if the war with Russia continues.

Meanwhile, a public opinion survey conducted from February 13 to 19 and published on February 27 showed that Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, tops the list of the country’s most trusted public figures. According to the poll, cited by Ukrainian media, 63% of respondents said they trust him, while 22% expressed distrust.

Second and third places in the trust rankings were taken by world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk and the head of the Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov. They received trust ratings of 56% and 55%, respectively, with 22–23% of respondents indicating distrust.

President Zelenskyy, according to the same survey, received a 49% trust rating, while 38% of those surveyed said they do not trust him.

By Tamilla Hasanova