General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who is known as the Iron General, has been forced to deny claims that he is ‘quietly preparing to run for president’ from his London HQ
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom has dismissed speculation that he “is quietly preparing a run for President” from his London headquarters to replace Volodymyr Zelensky should a peace agreement be reached with Russia.
General Valerii Zaluzhnyi’s team were compelled to respond to the allegations on Wednesday, insisting that “there is no talk of any campaign headquarters”.
The denial comes after assertions from a journalist that “his HQ is already active in London and recruitment is underway”, according to The Daily Mail.
The journalist claimed that insider sources had suggested his campaign had “effectively begun” following current President Zelensky’s indication to US President Donald Trump that elections might be approaching.
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Zaluzhnyi, fondly dubbed the Iron General, would probably emerge as the most favoured candidate with a genuine shot at claiming victory, as numerous Ukrainians continue to revere him for his valiant protection of Kyiv in 2022 when hostilities first erupted, reports the Express.
He was subsequently succeeded by Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief and appointed as Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK in July last year.
Freelance journalist Katie Livingstone claimed her sources had disclosed that Ukrainian opposition MP Viktoria Siumar would lead any campaign, whilst former BBC Ukraine correspondent Oksana Torop would manage his media relations.
Kyiv Post Correspondent Jason Jay Smart also supported and reinforced the allegations, stating: “Sources indicate that he gave the go-ahead to his team, over a month ago, to start planning his campaign.”
Despite media speculation, Ms Torop dismissed the rumours last night. Speaking to the New Voice of Ukraine, she stated: “There is no talk of any campaign headquarters.
“Valerii Zaluzhnyi has stated his position more than once, and as far as I know, it has not changed: while the war continues, we need to work to preserve the country, not think about elections.”
A recent poll revealed that Zaluzhnyi is currently Ukraine’s most trusted public figure, boasting a 73 per cent approval rating, compared to Zelensky’s 67 per cent.