As our sources in the OP report, the Presidential elections are to be held next year, only the timing and format are being discussed.
Given Volodymyr Zelenskyy's falling rating and his possible defeat in the second round by any other candidate besides the "conditional OPZZH", the President's political strategists decided to create such a "competitor" for him on their own.
According to our sources, initially the OP held negotiations with Rinat Akhmetov to attract funding for a special project to create a technical candidate, but he refused, stating 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. And this is only the part that usually goes through the “black market”. Almost the same amount must be spent through “official payments.”.
If the presidential elections are held simultaneously with the local elections, then about $150 million will have to be spent by the deputies and candidates at the local level. And if the expenses of $150 million can be shifted to the shoulders of the majoritarian and local candidates, then according to the calculations of the OP, $200 million for the promotion of the technical candidate must be attracted from the “sponsor”.
Vadim Stolar offered his services in creating a technical candidate for the presidential election to Bankova, and the President's Office found him a sponsor: Russian billionaire, former owner of the Chelsea football club Roman Abramovich. According to the agreements, Abramovich is to finance the creation of a powerful parliamentary faction with a "peace track" focused on the electorate of the Eastern, Southern and Central regions.
The bet is 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 “peace party” will be approximately 30 percent, so a second round does not look so unrealistic. Stolar’s task in this case is to bring forward a technical candidate by May 2025 who is capable of reaching the second round with Volodymyr Zelensky with a “peace theme”.
As part of the agreements between Stolar and the Office of the President, Vadym Stolar is gradually getting his media resources back, with the condition that they will not be used to criticize the Office of the President. Also, with the Office's patronage, 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: work is currently underway to develop a brand and select potential media figures, and an election strategy is being prescribed.
