According to the outlet, citing sources close to the presidential office, Zelensky’s team has developed at least two scenarios in case elections are held.
Under one, Zelensky would forgo a re-election bid and Budanov would become the authorities’ official candidate. Budanov, the former head of military intelligence who took over as head of the presidential office after Andriy Yermak’s dismissal, is said to enjoy Zelensky’s trust.
“For Zelensky, the drama of these elections lies in the choice: run himself, or let Budanov run, who would become for the president a kind of security guarantor after giving up power,” a Meduza source said.
An alternative scenario would see Zelensky run himself while Budanov creates a new political party that would become a key coalition partner in parliament, the report said.
Meduza said two main factors were behind the discussion: falling support and corruption scandals, including a case involving Tymur Mindych, described in the source text as a close associate and friend of the president, and an alleged embezzlement scheme in the state energy sector linked to him.
March 2026 polls cited by private broadcaster RMF24 showed distrust of the incumbent president ranging from 32% to nearly 50%.
The report said Zelensky also faced a constitutional issue. Although formally still in his first term, he has effectively been leading the country for an eighth year because martial law has prevented elections. A further victory could push him beyond a 10-year limit on holding power set out in the constitution, potentially giving the opposition grounds to challenge his legitimacy.
Meduza said Zelensky’s biggest political threat remained Valeriy Zaluzhny, the former armed forces commander and now ambassador to Britain, who still enjoys broad public trust in Ukraine.
According to the report, Zelensky is increasingly contemplating defeat and weighing a future in parliament instead of fighting for the presidency at all costs. It said the situation was further complicated by stalled peace talks with Russia and difficult ties with Donald Trump’s administration, which has publicly called Zelensky “an obstacle on the road to peace”.
(jh)
Source: RMF24