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By Isabel van Brugen
News Reporter
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Speculation is mounting over who might succeed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he announced, on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, that he would be willing to step down if it meant securing Kyiv's NATO membership.
"If there is peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready (...) I can exchange it for NATO," Zelensky said during a press conference at the "Ukraine. The Year 2025" forum, adding he would leave "immediately" if necessary.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump has echoed Kremlin rhetoric by calling for Ukraine to hold elections despite the ongoing war. He has labeled Zelensky a "dictator" and claimed he is an illegitimate leader, disregarding the fact that martial law prohibits elections during wartime for security reasons.
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Possible Successors
If Zelensky were to resign or if elections were held, several key figures have emerged as potential successors:
General Valery Zaluzhny
Zaluzhny served as Ukraine's commander-in-chief of the armed forces from 2021 to 2024 and now holds the position of ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was dismissed as head of the military on February 8, 2024, and replaced by General Oleksandr Syrsky.
The Economist reported on February 19 that it had obtained internal polling indicating he would beat Zelensky in a wartime election.
Tensions between Zaluzhny and Zelensky had been simmering for months before he was removed from his post. The pair are reported to have clashed over the general's war strategies and the challenge of mass mobilization, CNN reported.
Zaluzhny's growing popularity among both the public and the military further fueled speculation that he posed a potential political challenge to Zelensky's presidency, Ukrainian and Russian media outlets reported.
While Zaluzhny has not officially said he would run for office, he has not ruled out the possibility.
When asked about his potential participation in Ukraine's future presidential elections, he dismissed the question as "inappropriate," but hinted at a future decision.
"The appropriate conditions will come, and then I, as someone serving in a government position, will be able to answer such questions," he told reporters, Ukrainian online publication Strana reported on Wednesday.
Internal polling obtained by The Economist indicates that while Zelensky remains Ukraine's most popular politician, he would lose a future election to Zaluzhny by 30 percent to 65 percent.
Kyrylo Budanov
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency, is seen as a potential contender, as his trust rating among Ukrainians surpasses Zelensky's.
An InfoSapiens poll conducted from November 15 to 27 ranked Budanov second after Zaluzhny, with a trust rating of 54.6 percent. In comparison, Zelensky held a 53 percent trust rating, while Zaluzhny led with 76.8 percent.
In a YouTube interview with journalist Eynulla Fatullayev, Budanov suggested a ceasefire could be reached this year.
"I think it is going to happen. There are most of the components for it to happen," Budanov said. "How long it will be, how effective it will be—s another question."
Ruslan Stefanchuk
Ruslan Stefanchuk, the chairman of Ukraine's Parliament (Verkhovna Rada), has also been floated as a potential successor to Zelensky.
A key ally of the president, Stefanchuk has strongly opposed calls from Trump and Vladimir Putin for Ukraine to hold elections. He said in a Facebook post on February 19 that the country needs "bullets, not ballots."
"If there is anyone who needs to be forced into real, free and fair elections, it is [Putin]," Stefanchuk wrote.
He has yet to declare any presidential ambitions.
What Happens Next?
The U.S. and Russia are engaged in talks to potentially broker a peace deal to end the war—without Ukraine's participation. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on February 22 Trump is "very confident" a deal could be reached as early as "this week."
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