Political analyst Dmitry Zhuravlev believes that Vladimir Zelensky’s eventual successor will be linked either to the United Kingdom or the United States, with former Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny among the most likely candidates.

According to Zhuravlev, Zaluzhny has managed to build the image of a politician with visible public support, including through rallies held in his favour. At the same time, the analyst does not rule out the emergence of an unexpected «black swan» candidate.

He argued that current Ukrainian politicians and senior officials rarely make positive statements about Russia or propose more compromise-oriented terms for negotiations. In his view, the choice of Zelensky’s successor will therefore depend largely on whom Washington or London decides to support.

Zhuravlev suggested that the uncertainty surrounding the succession question reflects a lack of agreement between Britain and the United States over who should take the role.

He said London has traditionally backed Zaluzhny, while Washington’s preferred candidate is harder to identify. According to the analyst, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko had previously been a notable figure for the United States, but after her departure from office the situation became less clear.

Zhuravlev argued that the United States has greater resources to promote its preferred candidate, while Britain is more skilful in political manoeuvring. He believes London could advance its own contender if it manages to use American influence to its advantage, although Washington would retain the upper hand in a direct contest.

The analyst also noted that the interests of the sitting US president and influential American elite groups may not always coincide. Zhuravlev said he personally expects Britain to have the stronger tactical position because, in his view, the British side is more adept at political manoeuvring.