Fedorov Says Zelensky Rejected His Election Proposal Because Zaluzhny Would Run

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected a proposal to hold elections after learning that former Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny intended to run. Fedorov made the claim in a wide-ranging interview with Ukrainska Pravda published on Monday, Sept. 21. Kyiv Post has not independently verified his account of the private conversation.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. According to Fedorov, he personally proposed holding elections in June. Zelensky was initially prepared to proceed but later changed his mind because Zaluzhny would have entered the presidential race, the former minister said. Fedorov recalled telling Zelensky that Ukraine needed to hold an election so the president would stop thinking about electoral politics and begin “thinking about your monument.” Zelensky then allegedly asked what personal interest Fedorov had in holding the vote. “Victory in the war,” Fedorov said he replied. Fedorov proposes elections before war ends Fedorov argued that Ukraine could organize elections before the war ends. Under his proposed sequence, the country would first hold a presidential election and then elect a new parliament. The former minister did not explain how authorities could overcome the legal and logistical barriers to voting during Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian legislation prohibits presidential, parliamentary and local elections while martial law remains in force. Other Topics of Interest Exit Polls Put Putin’s United Russia at 49.4% in Russian State Duma Vote Two exit polls put United Russia near or above 50%, while turnout reached 56.66%, exceeding the levels recorded in Russia’s 2021 and 2016 elections. Organizing a national vote would also require arrangements allowing military personnel, displaced people, residents of frontline territories and millions of Ukrainians living abroad to participate safely. Ukraine’s presidential election originally scheduled for 2024 was postponed following Russia’s full-scale invasion and the introduction of martial law. Zelensky remains in office under constitutional provisions requiring the president to exercise his powers until a successor takes office. Zaluzhny has not formally entered politics Zaluzhny, who commanded Ukraine’s Armed Forces until February 2024 and later became ambassador to the UK, has not formally declared his candidacy or announced the creation of a political party. However, Kyiv Post reported in July, citing an earlier Ukrainska Pravda investigation, that Zelensky had asked Zaluzhny whether he would run if a presidential election were held in the fall. According to sources cited in that report, Zaluzhny replied that he would enter the race. Neither Zelensky’s office nor Zaluzhny publicly commented on the reported conversation. The report also said senior Ukrainian officials had discussed the risks of an election contested by Zelensky and Zaluzhny amid concerns that such a campaign could deepen political divisions during the war. In June, KIIS survey found that Zaluzhny is Ukraine’s most trusted public figure, with 73% trust and 21% distrust, for a net rating of +52. KIIS Executive Director Anton Hrushetsky said that the stronger trust ratings for Zaluzhny and Budanov compared to Zelensky reflect public demand for military figures to play a larger role in Ukraine’s future leadership. Former ally becomes an outspoken critic Fedorov had been one of Zelensky’s closest political allies. He led the digital operation behind Zelensky’s successful 2019 presidential campaign before becoming Ukraine’s first minister of digital transformation. He later headed the defense ministry and oversaw efforts to expand drone production and introduce new military technologies. Fedorov left the government during a reshuffle in July 2026. Since his departure, he has spoken more openly about the need for wartime elections and changes to Ukraine’s political system. Ukrainska Pravda reported that some members of Zelensky’s team now regard him as a potential political opponent. Fedorov has not formally announced plans to run for office or establish a political party. He said he would “100%” return to lead the Ministry of Defense if Zelensky offered him the job, while arguing that resistance to his procurement reforms contributed to his abrupt dismissal earlier this month. “What would I say, not even to myself or the president, but to the active part of the public, which has made its position clear? There’s no walking away from this situation,” he said. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.