In Ukrainian political circles, there is an active discussion regarding the upcoming elections, particularly noticeable is the increased activity among several party offices and members of parliament. These discussions arise against the backdrop of rumors about the initiation of peace negotiations and the end of the war in Ukraine. This was reported by Kontrakty.UA.
Will there be elections in Ukraine in 2025? Find out in an exclusive from TSN.ua.
According to Yuriy Bohdanov, a specialist in strategic communications in business, public administration, and politics, politicians are already actively preparing for the electoral process and testing their electoral ground during an interview on "Espresso".
"If we look at what is happening in the Ukrainian political scene right now, even those politicians who publicly say they do not believe in the elections are preparing for them."
What do we know about the candidates?
He stated that if the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, participates in the upcoming elections, he could capture nearly half of the electoral field of all other candidates. The ruling party is considering a rebranding of "Servant of the People" under a new name – "Zelensky's Team". This project will likely be spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, according to sources from "Ukrainian Pravda".
Changes may also affect the party's composition. Sources indicate that government officials and military personnel are expected to be added to the candidate lists, while current faction leaders, including MP Davyd Arakhamia, may be asked to step down.
Opposition leader Yuliya Tymoshenko is also actively preparing for the elections. Journalists report that her activity is hard to conceal: she is proposing a "joint campaign" for the elections and places on the lists, seeking support or offering the services of her local organizations and precinct members. The head of the Center for Analysis and Strategies, Ihor Chalenko, noted that two presidential candidates have already launched external campaigns.
British journalists on the possible election date
Furthermore, the influential English-language publication The Economist mentioned a potential date for the elections in Ukraine last autumn. According to the media, it is May 25, 2025. However, most sources within the publication are skeptical that this prediction will materialize. They also noted that allegedly Volodymyr Zelensky is considering the possibility of holding presidential elections in 2025.
Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, commented on The Economist's article regarding the possibility of elections. He stated that there are no grounds or prerequisites for such an opportunity, as the war continues with high intensity. Podolyak mentioned that when Western media disseminates information citing anonymous sources, it does not explain why this should happen. There will be no national voting in spring 2025 in Ukraine due to several reasons.
The date of the presidential elections, May 25, 2025, mentioned by the British publication The Economist, is unrealistic. NV reports this citing influential sources within the presidential faction "Servant of the People". "Science fiction section," was how one of the editorial's interlocutors reacted to the information from British journalists. The same opinion was expressed by the head of the VR Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn.
"We cannot hold elections at a time when there are no guarantees not only of a ceasefire but also of its renewal, because precinct commissions, as elements of societal gathering, will be targets for the aggressor."
Is it timely?
The main question remains: if preparations for the elections are indeed underway, is it timely? Political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko believes that rumors about the possibility of elections may be spread by those involved in their preparation in Ukraine, as it is their job and they earn from it. For elections to actually take place, a significant amount of work must be done.
"How can the CEC prepare the voter registry when millions of our citizens are currently abroad? The CEC is trying to update the voter registry, but has only just started working, and it is still unknown when it will finish, as doing this in wartime is extremely challenging. Those who talk about elections in spring 2025 are either very eager for them to happen or very fearful of them."
Will there be elections until the war ends?
Leonid Kuchma, the second president of Ukraine, also stated that holding elections in Ukraine in 2025 is impossible due to the full-scale invasion from Russia. In an interview with the "Interfax-Ukraine" agency, he noted that the end of the war is necessary for this. According to him, elections held in wartime cannot ensure a nationwide expression of will, as it is impossible to deliver ballot boxes to every trench. MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn pointed out that before holding elections, it is necessary to determine how internally displaced persons abroad and military personnel at the front will vote. Journalist Pavlo Kazarin, who joined the Armed Forces in the early days of the full-scale invasion, also stated that elections are simply impossible due to the active phase of the war.
"I think that elections are impossible until the end of the active phase. I am not sure that the active phase will end in 2025."
He added that the Kremlin still believes in its victory, despite the immense efforts required. Therefore, it seems unrealistic to hope for a cessation of hostilities.
Zelensky's statement on elections
At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that there will be no elections in Ukraine until the end of the war. He emphasized that there must first be a "just peace, and only then elections," which he reiterated during an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman. Specifically, the president noted that conducting elections during wartime is prohibited by law.
"Elections were postponed once. Elections did not take place in spring 2024 due to martial law. According to the Constitution, we can do this. These are presidential elections. And parliamentary elections did not take place in the fall of 2024. There is the Constitution and there are security issues."
Will Zelensky run for a second term?
During this interview, Zelensky also shared whether he would run for a second presidential term. He stated that three factors would influence the decision regarding a possible second term: how Ukraine concludes this war, voter sentiment, and family opinion.
"I don’t know. It’s a very difficult question. It depends on how this war ends. It all depends on what people want. Primarily, it depends on the people, and of course, on my family," the president said, adding that he hasn't had "the time" to discuss this issue with his family yet.