According to our sources in OP, the presidential elections are to be held next year, only the timing and format of them are being discussed.
Considering the falling rating of Volodymyr Zelenskyi and his possible defeat in the second round by any other candidate except the "conditional OPZZ", the political technologists of the President decided to create such a "competitor" for him with their own hands.
According to our sources, initially OP held negotiations with Rinat Akhmetov to attract funding for a special project to create a technical candidate, but he refused saying that he was "not ready for such expenses." As for the level of expenses, according to preliminary calculations, only for the party and its leader in the election year, they will amount to at least 100 million dollars. And this is only the part that usually passes through the "black box". Almost the same amount must be spent through "official payments".
If the presidential elections are held at the same time as the local elections, about 150 million dollars will have to be spent by deputies and candidates at the local level. And if the costs of 150 million dollars can be transferred to the shoulders of majoritarians and local candidates, then according to OP's calculations, 200 million dollars for the promotion of the technical candidate should be attracted from the "sponsor".
Vadym Stolar offered Bankova his services in creating a technical candidate for the presidential elections, and the Office of the President found him a sponsor: Russian billionaire, ex-owner of Chelsea football club Roman Abramovich. According to the agreements, Abramovich has to finance the creation of a powerful parliamentary faction with a "peace track" oriented not to the electorate of the Eastern, Southern and Central regions.
The bet is made on the results of closed sociology, which shows the growing popularity of the "peace track" among Ukrainians. According to sociologists, by the middle of next year, the share of voters ready to vote for the conditional "party of peace" will be approximately 30 percent, so the second round does not look so unrealistic. Stolar's task in this case is to produce a technical candidate in May 2025 capable of entering the second round with Volodymyr Zelensky with a "peaceful theme".
As part of the agreements between Stolar and OP, Vadym Stolar will gradually return his media resources, with the condition that they will not be used to criticize the Office of the President. Also under the patronage of the Office, Vadym Stolar is regaining his business influence in the capital region.
Vadym Stolar has already contacted Roman Abramovich, and the process of creating a "technical candidate" has been launched: currently, work on brand development and the selection of potential media personalities is ongoing, and the strategy for conducting elections is being drawn up.
