Valerii Zalujnîi, the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and current ambassador to the United Kingdom, has announced his intention to run in the presidential elections, should the vote be organized this fall.
Zalujnîi personally communicated this decision to President Vladimir Zelenski, during an official meeting held in Kiev. The former army commander was summoned from London for consultations regarding the political developments in Great Britain.
During the discussions, Zelenski directly asked him if he intends to participate in the presidential elections, in the event of their organization this fall, writes nordnews.md. The answer was affirmative.
The Ukrainian president believes that stabilizing the situation on the front could create the necessary conditions for holding elections. At the same time, Zelenski would have tried to avoid an electoral competition that could accentuate political divisions during a difficult period for the country.
In this context, the presidential team would have proposed to Valerii Zalujnîi several important positions in the state, including that of prime minister, in an attempt to convince him to give up a potential candidacy. The former army commander would have refused all the offers.