Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s future as the president of Ukraine has come under scrutiny, particularly following a public confrontation with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during a televised Oval Office meeting last Friday. Senator Lindsey Graham, R-SC, along with other prominent Republicans, has raised the possibility that Zelenskyy might need to step down or at least face re-election. This notion was previously floated by Trump after a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he suggested elections in Ukraine while misconstruing his own approval rating.
Zelenskyy’s current approval rating is substantially higher, around 63%, according to a Reuters report. He asserted in a recent interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier that he would resign if Kyiv were to be granted NATO membership, reinforcing that just as Americans vote for their president, Ukrainians have the sovereign right to elect their leaders, suggesting he wouldn’t allow this topic to be used as a bargaining chip with Trump.
Should Zelenskyy decide to step down, potential successors have emerged:
**Vitali Klitschko**
The former heavyweight boxing champion and current mayor of Kyiv, Klitschko has enjoyed robust support in the capital since taking office in 2014. He has publicly backed Zelenskyy, emphasizing unity amid ongoing global criticism of Ukraine’s leadership during Trump’s tenure. Klitschko recently warned that elections could “destroy the country from within” given the current existential threats it faces.
**Ruslan Stefanchuk**
As the chairman of Ukraine’s Parliament, Stefanchuk has also been mentioned as a possible future leader. Despite being a close ally of Zelenskyy, he has outright rejected calls for immediate elections, arguing that the focus should be on confronting Putin rather than on Ukrainian internal politics. He famously stated that Ukraine needs “bullets, not ballots.”
**Kyrylo Budanov**
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, Budanov has not indicated any ambition for high office but holds a significant trust rating among Ukrainians, even higher than Zelenskyy’s. Recently, he expressed optimism regarding a potential peace deal after years of conflict.
**General Valery Zaluzhny**
The former commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces and now the ambassador to the U.K., Zaluzhny is also considered a strong, credible alternative to Zelenskyy. Despite some past disagreements that led to his dismissal from military service, he remains highly popular, with around 80% of Ukrainians saying they trust him. His future political aspirations remain unclear.
While the current political climate is tense, these figures remain crucial in shaping Ukraine’s future leadership landscape amid ongoing challenges.
