The second President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, in his interview with 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 current President Volodymyr Zelenskyy being re-elected are high.
At the same time, Kuchma stressed that despite possible optimism about Zelensky'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 renew the political landscape.
Kuchma recalled that the outcome of elections in wartime or post-war conditions is often unpredictable. Citing the example of Winston Churchill, who lost the parliamentary elections in 1945 after the victory over Nazi Germany, he emphasized that society can elect new leaders even in the event of a successful policy of the current leadership.
Kuchma also expressed the opinion that the post-war elections could turn into a second electoral revolution after 2019, when Zelensky's team was able to quickly remove most of the old figures from the political arena.
He also stressed that elections in 2025 are necessary if the war ends, as they will be an important step in restoring democratic processes. However, he considers holding elections if the war continues to be morally unacceptable and technically impossible. Kuchma stressed that ensuring the fairness of elections in such conditions is difficult, since a significant part of servicemen will not be able to exercise their right to vote, which will cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections.
