Zelensky says he’s ready to not run for reelection if the war ends

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Axios that he is prepared not to seek a second term if the war with Russia can be brought to an end.

“If [the war ends], I am ready not to [run for reelection], because it’s not my goal, elections. I wanted very much, in a very difficult period of time, to be with my country, help my country. That is what I wanted, always. My goal is to finish the war,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky has been in office since May 2019. His first five-year term was due to end in May 2024, but under martial law, Ukraine’s legislation prohibits elections. As a result, his term was automatically extended, a point Russian authorities and propagandists have seized on to claim that Zelensky is “illegitimate.”

Within Ukraine, however, there is broad consensus — even among Zelensky’s political opponents — that he should remain president until martial law is lifted.

Zelensky has repeatedly emphasized the importance of holding presidential elections once the war ends and martial law is lifted. In his interview with Axios, he said he would push for elections to be held as soon as possible, even in the case of a prolonged ceasefire with Russia rather than a final settlement.

Recent polling indicates that Zelensky would still receive the most support if elections were held. According to an August survey by the Rating Sociological Group, 35.2 percent of Ukrainians said they would vote for him, compared with 25.3 percent for his main potential challenger, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. At the same time, Zelensky falls behind Zaluzhnyi in overall trust ratings.