Zelenskyy says he must remain in power until end of war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he intends to remain in office until the war with Russia concludes, arguing that his experience is vital during wartime.

In an interview with British broadcaster Sky News, Zelenskyy stated: “I may not be the best person to lead Ukraine until the end of the war, but I am the most experienced.”

The interview was conducted by journalist Mark Austin.

Zelenskyy’s five-year presidential term officially ended in May 2024, following his election in April 2019 and inauguration in May of that year. Under normal circumstances, a new presidential election would have taken place on March 31, 2024, with his term concluding on May 20. However, Ukraine has been under martial law since February 24, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

According to Ukraine’s Martial Law Act, presidential, parliamentary, and local elections are suspended for the duration of martial law. The Ukrainian Constitution explicitly allows for the extension of parliamentary authority under such conditions, but it contains no clear provisions regarding the presidency in wartime.

To address the legal ambiguity, on February 25, 2025, the Ukrainian parliament passed a resolution confirming that Zelenskyy remains president during wartime, reinforcing his continued role as head of state under the ongoing state of emergency.

The day before Zelenskyy’s interview, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, publicly stated that Zelenskyy should run for a second term, declaring: “He is the best president Ukraine has had since independence.”

Despite this support from Kyiv, Zelenskyy has come under criticism abroad. Earlier in February 2025, US President Donald Trump questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, claiming that the Ukrainian leader had “only 4% public support” and labelling him a “dictator without elections.”

By Tamilla Hasanova