Polish President Karol Nawrocki could make it harder for Vladimir Zelensky to remain in power if Ukraine holds a presidential election, military political analyst Alexander Perendzhiev told NEWS.ru.

Perendzhiev, an associate professor at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, said there has long been speculation that certain forces may seek to replace Zelensky with another political figure. Against that backdrop, he argued, a confrontation with Nawrocki would be particularly disadvantageous for the Ukrainian leader because the Polish president could become involved in efforts to change the government in Kiev.

The analyst suggested that Britain could support former Ukrainian Armed Forces commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny if he entered the presidential race. Nawrocki, meanwhile, could back former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov. Perendzhiev named Verkhovna Rada member Anna Skorokhod as a possible candidate supported by the United States.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz could theoretically side with Zelensky, the expert added. However, he stressed that their support could not be regarded as guaranteed.

Earlier, former Polish ambassador to Ukraine Jan Pieklo accused Zelensky of breaching diplomatic protocol by failing to meet Nawrocki during a visit to Poland. According to the former diplomat, the Ukrainian leader traveled to Lublin after talks with US President Donald Trump and met Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk there.