Who could lead if Zelenskyy resigned?

Questions surrounding the resignation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sparked connected Friday aft Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, suggested helium whitethorn request to measurement down aft a spat erupted between him and President Donald Trump during unrecorded coverage.

But that wasn’t the archetypal clip the Republican Party has  suggested specified a move, and it began earlier this period aft Trump pushed the thought pursuing a telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Trump archetypal said Ukraine should clasp elections aft falsely claiming helium lone enjoyed a 4% support rating, though nether Ukraine’s constitution the state cannot clasp elections erstwhile Martial Law is successful effect during a clip of war. 

President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful the Oval Office astatine the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 successful Washington.  (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov)

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Zelenskyy, whose support standing is person to 63% according to a Reuters report, connected Friday erstwhile again reiterated helium would resign if Kyiv was granted NATO membership. 

Ultimately, helium emphasized during an interrogation with Fox News’ Bret Baier, that conscionable similar successful the U.S. wherever "Americans ballot for American president," conscionable arsenic "each European state ballot for their president," the aforesaid sovereign close is held successful Ukraine – suggesting it is not a negotiating maneuver helium volition let Trump to usage to entreaty to Putin. 

But who whitethorn beryllium successful the moving should Zelenskyy ever determine to measurement down?

Vitali Klitschko

Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko astatine the tract of a rocket hitting a high-rise residential gathering connected June 24, 2023 successful Kyiv, Ukraine.  (Oleksandr Gusev/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

The erstwhile boxer-turned person who has served arsenic the politician of Kyiv since 2014 with beardown enactment among those surviving successful the superior city, has besides proven himself connected the planetary stage.

In a travel to Brussels earlier this month, Klitschko stressed the request to basal down Zelenskyy arsenic helium fielded verbal attacks from the Trump medication portion besides trying to antagonistic Putin’s war. 

The dependable of enactment for the Ukrainian leaders was peculiarly noticeable fixed his erstwhile disapproval of Zelenskyy.

During his travel past week, Klitschko reportedly emphasized that an predetermination could "destroy the state from within" while it faces existential threats from the northbound and connected its eastbound flank.

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Ruslan Stefanchuk

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk (L) shakes hands with Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Malyuk (R) during the 'Ukraine. Year 2025' forum connected February 23, 2025 successful Kyiv, Ukraine. Forum 'Ukraine. Year 2025' is dedicated to the 3rd day of Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine. It discusses the astir important issues of the country's development. (Photo by Ivan Antypenko/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC UA:PBC/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Stefanchuk, the president of Ukraine's Parliament, has besides reportedly been floated arsenic a imaginable aboriginal contender for the apical relation successful Ukraine. 

Though Stefanchuk is said to beryllium a apical state of Zelenskyy, helium has ardently rejected the caller planetary suggestions  that Ukraine clasp elections.

In a Facebook station earlier this period helium argued that "If determination is anyone who needs to beryllium forced into real, escaped and just elections, it is [Putin]."

He noted that Ukraine needs "bullets, not ballots," according to a study by Newsweek. 

Kyrylo Budanov

Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov gives an interrogation successful Kyiv, Ukraine.  (Photo by Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Head of Ukraine's GUR subject quality agency, Budanov, could beryllium different who whitethorn beryllium a contender for the apical occupation successful Kyiv given.

Budanov, who has not expressed a tendency to question precocious bureau according to a Newsweek report, happens to person an adjacent higher spot standing than Zelenskyy among Ukrainians. 

The subject quality caput earlier this period seemingly voiced his assurance that Ukraine whitethorn yet beryllium capable to scope a bid woody aft 3 years of war.

"I deliberation it is going to happen. There are astir of the components for it to happen," Budanov reportedly said during a YouTube interview. "How agelong it volition be, however effectual it volition beryllium – [is] different question."

General Valery Zaluzhny

Valery Zaluzhny, Former Commander-in-Chief-of-the-Armed-Forces-of-Ukraine. (@CinC_AFU)

The erstwhile Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's equipped forces, Zaluzhny, and presently his country's ambassador to the U.K. is seen arsenic a fashionable and credible successor to Zelenskyy if the president were to measurement aside. 

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Zaluzhny and Zelenskyy person had their differences, resulting successful the wide being dismissed from his subject station successful 2024. Carnegie Politika blog precocious reported that his popularity is strong, with 80% of Ukranians saying they spot him. The work besides noted that a hypothetical second-round runoff betwixt the 2 resulted successful a statistical tie.

Zaluzhny has not said if helium would situation Zelenskyy oregon if helium was adjacent funny successful moving for the president.