The Economist: Presidential elections may take place in Ukraine in 2025.

In Ukraine, preparations have begun for potential presidential elections, with one of the earliest dates under consideration being May 25, 2025.

Source. This is reported by The Economist citing informed sources.

According to these sources, certain preparations for the elections have already started, regional electoral headquarters are being “mobilized,” and work is underway to compile lists of candidates.

Representatives of one possible rival to the current president Volodymyr Zelensky claim that Ukraine needs elections, but they are hesitant to make a public statement on this matter, fearing a harsh reaction from the President's Office.

Based on internal polls reviewed by The Economist, Zelensky would not be as successful in new elections as he was in the first, as the public no longer perceives the incumbent head of state as a “war hero” three years after the onset of the Russian invasion.

The main favorite is considered to be former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom following a conflict with Zelensky last year. Zaluzhnyi's political ambitions remain unclear, although many are urging him to run for president, the publication's source explained.

At the same time, more people are willing to vote for Zelensky than for other opposition candidates, except for Zaluzhnyi. A former colleague of the current president believes that the best decision Zelensky could make would be to resign and uphold his initial promise to serve only one term as president.

“Zelensky has only one way to preserve his reputation. That is to hold elections without his participation and go down in history as the person who united the nation in war,” he explained.

At the end of September, The Economist, referencing informed sources, reported that Zelensky is considering the possibility of holding presidential elections in 2025 to strengthen his power. According to them, there are currently many disputes regarding potential opponents to Zelensky in the elections.

At the same time, as noted on September 14 by parliament member from the "Holos" party, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, the Ukrainian budget for 2025 does not allocate funds for conducting elections.

According to the American National Democratic Institute, trust in the current president among Ukrainians has fallen from 80% in May 2023 to 45% in 2024. Trust in the government overall has decreased even further.

Zelensky's five-year term ended on May 20, 2024. The presidential elections in Ukraine were supposed to take place in March but were not held due to the state of martial law in the country.

Meanwhile, Zelensky noted that he would not seek a second presidential term if the military conflict were to end.