According to current Ukrainian legislation, elections cannot take place under martial law.
Nevertheless, Zelensky proposed that lawmakers develop bills to change this rule. He also reached out to Western allies for support in ensuring the security of the voting process.
Euronews published an analysis of potential candidates for the elections, should they take place (text shortened).
How do Ukrainians assess Zelensky?
In 2019, Zelensky won the elections, receiving over 73% of the votes in the second round against 24% for Petro Poroshenko.After this victory, early parliamentary elections were held in the country, in which Zelensky's party "Servant of the People" won a majority of seats in the Verkhovna Rada.
At that time, the level of trust in the president was around 80% among Ukrainians.
However, by February 2022, this figure had dropped to 37%. With the onset of war, the level of trust rose again to a record 90%.
According to the latest survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in the fall of 2025, 60% of Ukrainians support Zelensky.
Who could be a candidate?
According to a study by Info Sapiens published on December 9, 20.3% of Ukrainians are ready to vote for Volodymyr Zelensky in the upcoming elections.At the same time, Zelensky himself stated that he does not intend to seek re-election after the war ends.
In second place in popularity is General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and now Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, with 19% support.
However, Zaluzhnyi noted that he does not plan to participate in the elections. "I am against elections during wartime. Anyone who receives an offer in my name to participate in any initiatives should report it to law enforcement. I am not creating headquarters or political parties," he wrote on Facebook.
In third place is Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence, with just over 5%. He has never expressed intentions to engage in politics and is considered irreplaceable in his position.
Do Ukrainians want elections now?
According to the Constitution of Ukraine, elections are only possible after the lifting of martial law, and most Ukrainians are in no hurry to vote until the end of the war.A recent survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that only 12% of respondents believe that elections can take place at this time. 22% support the idea of holding elections after a ceasefire with security guarantees, while about 63% are convinced that elections should be organized only after the complete end of the war.
