Next Ukrainian presidential election
Updated: 12/11/2025, 12:16:09 PM Wikipedia source
Presidential elections were scheduled to be held in Ukraine in March or April 2024. However, as martial law has been in effect since 24 February 2022 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, no elections were held because Ukrainian law does not allow presidential elections to be held when martial law is in effect. Martial law has been extended in 90-day intervals since the full-scale invasion with parliament's approval, and has most recently (as of November 2025) been extended for the 17th time until 3 February 2026. In a January 2025 interview, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that seeking a second term was not his current goal or focus, but his decision would depend on the outcome of the war. On 25 September, he stated that he was "ready" to not run again after the war's conclusion.
Tables
· Candidates › Announced intent to run
Oleksii Arestovych
Oleksii Arestovych
Name
Oleksii Arestovych
Born
3 August 1975 (50)Dedoplistsqaro, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Affiliation
Independent
Experience
Adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine (2020–2023)Speaker of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine (2020–2022)
Key dates
Announced intention: 1 November 2023 (2023-11-01)
Petro Poroshenko
Petro Poroshenko
Name
Petro Poroshenko
Born
26 September 1965 (60)Bolhrad, Odesa Oblast
Affiliation
European Solidarity
Experience
People's Deputy (1998–2007, 2012–14, 2019–present)President of Ukraine (2014–2019)Minister of Trade and Economic Development (2012)Minister of Foreign Affairs (2009–10)
Key dates
Announced intention: 2 April 2024 (2024-04-02)
| Name | Born | Affiliation | Experience | Key dates | |
| Oleksii Arestovych | 3 August 1975 (50)Dedoplistsqaro, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union | Independent | Adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine (2020–2023)Speaker of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine (2020–2022) | Announced intention: 1 November 2023 (2023-11-01) | |
| Petro Poroshenko | 26 September 1965 (60)Bolhrad, Odesa Oblast | European Solidarity | People's Deputy (1998–2007, 2012–14, 2019–present)President of Ukraine (2014–2019)Minister of Trade and Economic Development (2012)Minister of Foreign Affairs (2009–10) | Announced intention: 2 April 2024 (2024-04-02) | |
· Candidates › Potential
Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Name
Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Born
8 July 1973 (52)Novohrad-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr Oblast
Affiliation
Independent
Experience
Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2024–present)Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2021–2024)
Comment
Has not confirmed if he will enter politics; frequently discussed and ranked in polls among leading candidates
| Name | Born | Affiliation | Experience | Comment | |
| Valerii Zaluzhnyi | 8 July 1973 (52)Novohrad-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr Oblast | Independent | Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2024–present)Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2021–2024) | Has not confirmed if he will enter politics; frequently discussed and ranked in polls among leading candidates | |
· Candidates › Declined
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Name
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Born
25 January 1978 (47)Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Affiliation
Servant of the People
Experience
President of Ukraine (2019–present)
Comment
Indicated he is ready to not run again after the war’s conclusion.
| Name | Born | Affiliation | Experience | Comment | |
| Volodymyr Zelenskyy | 25 January 1978 (47)Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast | Servant of the People | President of Ukraine (2019–present) | Indicated he is ready to not run again after the war’s conclusion. | |
References
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/05/world/europe/ukraine-zelensky-elections-war.html
- "Ukraine's Zelenskiy ponders idea of 2024 election during war"https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelenskiy-ponders-idea-2024-election-during-war-2023-11-03/
- Council of Europehttps://rm.coe.int/en-organisation-and-holding-of-elections-in-post-war-ukraine-net-2769-/1680a8e995
- Council of Europe Office in Ukrainehttps://www.coe.int/en/web/kyiv/-/pace-president-tiny-kox-it-is-up-to-the-government-parliament-and-the-people-of-ukraine-to-decide-when-and-how-to-conduct-elections
- Juristhttps://www.jurist.org/news/2023/07/ukraine-legislature-extends-martial-law-and-general-mobilization-through-november/
- Ukrainska Pravdahttps://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/05/8/7454787/
- www.aa.com.trhttps://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/ukraines-parliament-extends-martial-law-for-90-days/3722722
- Ukrainska Pravdahttps://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/01/2/7491800/
- Anadolu Agencyhttps://www.aa.com.tr/en/russia-ukraine-war/zelenskyy-says-he-is-ready-to-leave-office-after-end-of-russia-ukraine-war/3698986
- "Zelensky says he won't seek re-election after war, will push for elections during potential ceasefire"https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-signals-readiness-to-not-seek-second-presidential-term-hold-elections-during-ceasefire/
- Foreign Policyhttps://archive.today/20231114102732/https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/07/11/ukraine-democracy-wartime-elections-russia-zelensky/
- babel.uahttps://babel.ua/en/texts/104242-five-years-of-zelenskyy-s-presidency-will-expire-in-may-2024-some-analysts-and-enemies-say-he-will-lose-legitimacy-it-s-true-no-this-is-an-unconstitutional-delusion-babel-s-legal-and-anti-fake-analysi
- Про правовий режим воєнного стану [On the legal regime of martial law]https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/389-19#Text
- Article 108https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/en/254%D0%BA/96-%D0%B2%D1%80#Text
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67440357
- Global Conflict Trackerhttps://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine
- Foreign Policyhttps://archive.today/20231117192204/https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/11/17/ukraine-elections-war-russia-zelensky/
- The Kyiv Independenthttps://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-legitimacy/
- Kyiv International Institute of Sociologyhttps://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=eng&cat=reports&id=1309&page=1
- Радіо Свободаhttps://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-zelenskyj-vybory-ne-na-chasi/32673549.html
- "Ukraine's political parties agree on carrying out elections only after the war"https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/11/30/7431116/
- "Conclusions of the ninth Jean Monnet dialogue"https://www.rada.gov.ua/uploads/documents/74725.pdf
- "Kremlin claims Zelenskyy's fate is "sealed""https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/04/29/7453398/
- "Meduza breaks down the evidence pointing to the most fraudulent elections in modern Russian history"https://meduza.io/en/feature/2024/03/21/putin-2024
- "Проект Постанови про Заяву Верховної Ради України про підтримку демократії в Україні в умовах агресії російської федерації"https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billInfo/Bills/CardByRn?regNum=13039&conv=9
- "Про Заяву Верховної Ради України про підтримку демократії в Україні в умовах агресії російської федерації [On the Statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Support for Democracy in Ukraine in the Face of Aggression by the Russian Federation]"https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/4252-IX#Text
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/06/ukraine-opposition-leaders-confirm-talks-with-us-but-deny-plot-to-oust-zelenskyy
- IDEAhttps://www.idea.int/node/128263
- Article 103
- Vox Ukrainehttps://voxukraine.org/en/from-kravchuk-to-zelenskyy-analysis-of-new-years-addresses-by-ukrainian-presidents
- english.nv.uahttps://english.nv.ua/nation/zelenskyy-s-former-advisor-arestovych-to-stand-in-future-elections-50365048.html
- The Kyiv Independenthttps://kyivindependent.com/poroshenko-plans-to-run-for-president-again-after-war-ends/
- Ukrainska Pravdahttps://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/articles/2024/10/23/7480908/
- hromadskehttps://hromadske.ua/suspilstvo/235204-koho-b-obraly-ukrayintsi-iakby-zaraz-provely-prezydentski-vybory-os-rezultaty-doslidzennia
- Ukrainska Pravdahttps://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/12/4/7431550/
- Anadolu Agencyhttps://www.aa.com.tr/en/russia-ukraine-war/zelenskyy-says-he-is-ready-to-leave-office-after-end-of-russia-ukraine-war/3698986