The second president of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, in his interview for the Interfax-Ukraine agency, expressed his belief that it is impossible to predict the outcome of the post-war elections in Ukraine, although he believes that the chances of the current president, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, to be re-elected are high.
At the same time, Kuchma emphasized that despite possible optimism about Zelenskyi's re-election, the prospects for the current Verkhovna Rada look much less rosy. He believes that most deputies are unlikely to be able to keep their seats, especially given the need to update the political landscape.
Kuchma reminded that the outcome of elections in war or post-war conditions is often unpredictable. Citing the example of Winston Churchill, who, after defeating Nazi Germany, lost the parliamentary elections in 1945, he emphasized that society can elect new leaders even in the case of successful policies of the current leadership.
Kuchma also expressed the opinion that the post-war elections could turn into a second electoral revolution after 2019, when Zelenskyi's team was able to quickly remove most of the old figures from the political arena.
Separately, he emphasized that elections in 2025 are necessary if the war ends, because they will be an important step in restoring democratic processes. However, he considers it morally unacceptable and technically impossible to hold elections if the war continues. Kuchma emphasized that it is difficult to ensure the fairness of the elections in such conditions, because a large part of military personnel will not be able to exercise their right to vote, which will cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections.
