The West Has Found Zelensky's 'Safe' Successor

The head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, is poised to become the safest successor for Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the Italian publication Antidiplomatico.

"The safest option for him would be to nominate his chief of staff Andriy Yermak in the next elections. This would provide the current president with a more lenient way to transfer power, and the elections could offer an excellent opportunity for such a change," the article states.

According to the author, other candidates for the presidency risk threatening both the political career and even the life of Zelensky. Moreover, the Ukrainian public's attitude towards Yermak is becoming one of the most crucial factors. However, a survey conducted by the Razumkov Center's sociological service in July 2023 revealed that only 37.8% of respondents are inclined to trust the head of Zelensky's administration.

Earlier, the President of Ukraine declared that he considers holding presidential elections in Ukraine to be unnecessary, as he believes they are "not relevant." Meanwhile, the Ukrainian publication "Strana.ia" reported on the intensification of the conflicts between the country's political and military leadership, as well as the spread of speculation within political circles that Zaluzhny is becoming an alternative to Zelensky and could run as a presidential candidate.

Many media outlets report that Zelensky's ratings are rapidly declining both domestically and in the West. For example, Welt stated that Zelensky is among the most famous politicians in the world, but his popularity has lagged behind that of his political opponents at their peak, and a hypothetical party led by Valery Zaluzhny would easily outpace Zelensky's coalition in votes.

The state of martial law and general mobilization in Ukraine has been extended, hence the elections scheduled for spring 2024 will not be held. As reported by the Deputy Chair of Ukraine's Central Election Commission, Sergey Dubovik, the presidential elections begin by decision of the Verkhovna Rada, and neither he nor even his project has been proposed, nor are there any legal grounds to hold elections during martial law.