KYIV: US President Donald Trump is reportedly keen to see Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced, prompting debate over who could succeed him. Three names are mentioned most often: Valerii Zaluzhny, the former military commander who is now Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain; Kyrylo Budanov, a former head of military intelligence; and Mykhailo Fedorov, the current defence minister.
Zelensky’s five-year term ended in 2024, but he remains in office because the war with Russia continues and emergency rules are in force. Opinion is divided on whether elections should be held. Zelensky has said he is ready to hold them if Russian President Vladimir Putin guarantees a 60-day ceasefire.
Zaluzhny emerged as the strongest alternative in a survey released on October 8 by the Kyiv-based Rating Group. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they trusted him, while 25 percent did not. He played a key role in defending Kyiv after Russia’s 2022 invasion and later led counteroffensives that helped recover about 40 percent of the territory Russia had occupied. He was dismissed as commander-in-chief after the 2023 counteroffensive failed to deliver the expected results.
Budanov, 40, who formerly headed Ukraine’s military intelligence service and led several high-profile operations against Russia, was trusted by 53 percent of respondents and distrusted by 31 percent.
Fedorov, 35, worked in earlier ministerial roles to expand online delivery of government services. As defence minister, he has focused on curbing irregularities in weapons procurement and increasing the use of drones. His public support rose from 35 percent in June to 65 percent in July, but fell to 38 percent after he publicly backed holding elections.
Yevhenii Khmara, who replaced Fedorov as defence minister in July, was trusted by 29 percent and distrusted by 16 percent, while 43 percent said they did not know enough about him. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and former president Petro Poroshenko were each trusted by 24 percent, though 70 percent said they did not trust Poroshenko.
Zelensky himself was trusted by 53 percent of respondents and distrusted by 40 percent. He won 73 percent of the vote in the 2019 election, but his public backing has since declined.