MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. Former Ukrainian Prime Minister (2010-2014) Nikolay Azarov believes that Ukraine will hold presidential elections in 2026.
"It (the presidential election – TASS) will definitely take place in 2026," he told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.
"The Americans are clearly searching for a specific candidate to bet on. If the Russian leadership fails to disrupt this scenario or at least bring it closer to a more realistic, mutually agreed (version – TASS) during the negotiations, they will go ahead with the election, because they have no intention of dealing with [Vladimir] Zelensky," the former prime minister added.
He explained that the United States needed a "different, more acceptable candidate" for the position of Ukraine’s leader.
"The only question is whether this will be coordinated with Russia in terms of a future peace agreement or done without it (without taking Russia’s position into account – TASS). In that case, the issue of a peace treaty will also remain unresolved," the politician concluded.
Zelensky’s presidential term officially ended on May 20, 2024. Since then, no presidential election has been held, while Zelensky himself has dismissed any questions about his legitimacy. As Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated, Russia needs to know who in Kiev it can legally deal with for signing binding documents. The current authorities’ lack of legitimacy creates a legal conflict that could undermine the outcomes of any future negotiations, he explained.