Zelensky says he's ready to exit office when war ends, open to elections during ceasefire
President says finishing the war is his priority; elections would be considered if a ceasefire allows, though Ukraine remains under martial law.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is ready to step down from office once Russia's war on Ukraine ends and that finishing the conflict, not securing another term, is his primary objective. In an interview with Axios that aired after his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Zelenskyy told Barak Ravid that he would consider elections if a ceasefire were established.
"Yes," Zelenskyy said when asked if Ukraine would push for elections during a ceasefire. "If we will finish war with Russia? Yes." He also clarified that elections are not his personal ambition: "It's not my goal, elections. I want it very much, in a very difficult period of time, to be with my country, help my country. Yes, that is what I wanted. My goal is to finish the war."
The remarks come as Ukraine remains under martial law, a regime imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, which bars national elections from taking place. Zelenskyy, first elected in 2019 in a landslide, would have seen his five-year term end in May 2024 if the war had not disrupted the timetable. He has now been in office for more than six years, extending beyond his original mandate.
Zelenskyy's comments are set against the broader context of ongoing negotiations and military operations. The Ukrainian leader emphasized that his priority is to finish the war and then consider the political shape of the country in peacetime, not to pursue power for its own sake in the midst of conflict. Observers note that the remarks reflect Kyiv's willingness to entertain political changes only after a decisive end to hostilities, with security guarantees and territory considerations remaining central to any settlement.
Putin's posture in negotiations has repeatedly linked territorial considerations to any potential peace, creating a challenging path for senior Ukrainian officials who must balance military objectives with political transition. Zelenskyy acknowledged the difficulty of achieving a resolution while Russia maintains leverage on the battlefield and in negotiations, underscoring that the immediate aim remains an end to the war and the protection of Ukraine's sovereignty.
Ukraine's Western partners have continued to express solidarity and support for Kyiv as the conflict persists, with diplomacy continuing amid the backdrop of ongoing fighting and sanctions. The international community's emphasis on accountability, security guarantees, and reconstruction remains a constant feature of coverage about Ukraine's wartime leadership and its longer-term political trajectory.
Zelenskyy's office was not immediately available for comment regarding the Axios remarks. The interview is part of the broader narrative around Ukraine's leadership during wartime, questions of presidential succession after the conflict, and the timeline for any transition to peacetime governance. This development sits within the World section as the war in Ukraine continues to shape global diplomacy and security calculations.