Zelensky has decided to run in the parliamentary elections alongside Zaluzhny, according to media reports.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has decided to run for a second term in the upcoming elections, and he may even win again. His main competitor is the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhny. If the ambassador to the UK does not participate in the elections, he could secure the position of speaker in parliament and a place in the presidential party.

This information was reported by the publication "Telegraph," citing insider information. They reminded that in the fall of 2024, the date for the possible elections was first mentioned in the information space - May 2025. It is expected that citizens will elect the president and parliament on the same day to expedite the process as much as possible.

Most politicians surveyed by "Telegraph" suggest that elections will indeed take place this year, although it is unclear when exactly. Allegedly, newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump will force Ukraine and Russia to sign a ceasefire agreement. Accordingly, if the situation stabilizes in some way, the government should lift the state of martial law and initiate the electoral process.

Currently, there are no preconditions for this scenario. Everyone is waiting for Trump's inauguration.

President Volodymyr Zelensky recently reiterated to Americans that holding elections is impossible while the war continues. However, he did not rule out another scenario - changes in legislation.

"Parliamentarians need to gather and change the [electoral] legislation, which will be very difficult because society is against it," the president explained.

For Ukrainians, Zelensky clarified that elections are only possible if a "strong position" is maintained after the hot phase of the war ends.

"We will have a strong army, a strong package of weapons, and security guarantees; after that, we can think about avoiding martial law in Ukraine. And if there is no martial law, then, in principle, parliament will support one or another election date," the head of state said.

"Telegraph" reports that Zelensky will run for a second term, although he has not publicly confirmed this yet. In every interview, the president emphasizes that his top priority is ending the war. Only after that can he consider political plans. Nevertheless, he does not forget to leave himself room for maneuver, saying, "if I do more than I can, then, probably, I will look at this more positively".

However, sources close to Volodymyr Zelensky told "Telegraph" that the decision regarding a second term has already been made. With a trust level of 52%, he still has a chance to win the presidential elections.

"On one condition - if the former Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhny does not run. Currently, he is the main competitor to the incumbent head of state. From time to time, he is referred to as the leader of the trust ratings among Ukrainians. Despite the fact that the 'Iron General' is now the ambassador to the UK," the publication writes.

According to "Telegraph," Zaluzhny has not yet made a final decision regarding his political future. Despite the complicated relations with the Bankova, the ambassador in the UK received an offer even from the president. As "Telegraph" claims, the head of the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak, conveyed to Zaluzhny that if he does not run and participates in the elections on Zelensky's side, the former Commander-in-Chief could secure the top spot on the party list and the speaker's chair in parliament.

"If Zaluzhny chooses to fight for the presidency, he will face challenges - criminal cases. Among them is the investigation into who surrendered Kherson in 2022. Sources in political circles say that at the right moment, Zaluzhny's name may come up in this case," the publication writes.

"Telegraph" reached out to Zaluzhny for a comment on his political plans. He replied briefly:

"First, we will preserve statehood. Then we will talk."

For now, the ambassador is not engaged in creating his own party. Thus, it remains unclear who he might run with in the elections. "Telegraph" reports that there is information suggesting that the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, could leverage his friendship with the former Commander-in-Chief for political purposes.

"The mayor does not have many supporters. But he has Kyiv. You need to be friends with him," explained a source familiar with the situation to "Telegraph."

The publication emphasizes that political competitors of Zaluzhny already fear his supporters. They claim that they cannot be compared to the fans of Zelensky or Poroshenko.

"He has become a myth, an icon. He is the kind of Ukrainian guy that ordinary Ukrainians identify with. For Ukrainian women, Zaluzhny is their husband, especially if he is military. Not a businessman, not a millionaire, but an ordinary man. Zaluzhny is perceived as one of their own. The pro-Poroshenko and pro-Zelensky supporters will seem like flowers compared to the supporters of the Commander-in-Chief. They will stand by him and demand not to touch the general," warned a member of Poroshenko's team.

Moreover, "Telegraph" reports that the servant deputies are waiting to see what decision Zelensky will make regarding his own party. Sources in the faction claim that nothing is happening in their political force, and there are no discussions about reformatting. However, everyone understands that the president will create a new force, into which a significant portion of the current deputies will not fit.

"The new party will have a chance to enter the new parliament. But even if Zelensky is elected for a second term, he will no longer have a mono-majority. The tenth convocation of the Verkhovna Rada is definitely expecting a coalition that could, to some extent, restore the parliament's subjectivity. Politicians are already negotiating about what the future coalition might look like. Whether the Servant of the People will be part of it is an open question," writes "Telegraph."

Elections in Ukraine

Recall that the Informator spoke with the head of the Center for Applied Political Research "Penta," Volodymyr Fesenko. According to the political scientist, presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine in 2025 are unlikely. However, elections may occur if a ceasefire is established in the war with Russia, the expert believes.

According to the latest SOCIS survey, more than 28% of Ukrainians believe that Ukrainian citizens who have gone abroad should not be able to elect power in Ukraine. At the same time, the majority supports the participation of Ukrainian citizens living in other countries in the elections.

The leader of the "Servants of the People," Olena Shulyak, reported that deputies are considering several options for holding elections. In particular, voting by mail, in-person voting abroad on election day, voting by proxy, and online voting. However, the latter may face issues due to insufficient protection of Ukraine's digital infrastructure, as evidenced by a recent Russian hacker attack on the Ministry of Justice's registries.