Ukraine war: Zelensky ready to step down after Russian conflict ends
The Ukrainian leader said in an interview he would request new elections if a ceasefire is reached, but his main focus is ending the conflict
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview published on Thursday that he would be ready to step down after the war with Russia is over.
“If we finish the war with the Russians, yes, I am ready not to go [for elections] because it’s not my goal, elections,” Zelensky told the Axios website in a video interview.
“I wanted very much, in a very difficult period of time, to be with my country, help my country. My goal is to finish the war.”
Zelensky said he would ask Ukraine’s parliament to organise elections if a ceasefire was reached.
A presidential election due in 2024 was suspended in line with martial law, introduced in Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected in 2019.
Russia has repeatedly questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy as a leader as a result.
During more than three and a half years of war, Zelensky has maintained a high level of public trust. He is constantly in the public eye through daily messages on social media, visits to soldiers near the front line and international diplomacy.