Former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valery Zaluzhny, is preparing to leave his diplomatic post in London and return to Kiev in early January, according to the outlet NV, citing sources in political and diplomatic circles.

The publication reports that Zaluzhny could make his decision public as early as January 4–5, 2026, provided that no new factors alter his plans. People close to the office of Vladimir Zelensky say that several weeks ago, during a visit to Kiev, Zaluzhny already signaled his intention to step down from the ambassadorial role.

According to these sources, Zaluzhny and Zelensky discussed a range of possible future positions for him, including the post of prime minister and the head of the presidential office. At that stage, however, Zaluzhny showed no interest in taking on any of those roles.

Other interlocutors cited by NV say that Zaluzhny also weighed the option of continuing his diplomatic career in the United States or returning to the position of commander-in-chief of the armed forces. No final decision has been made, and the issue of replacing Ukraine’s ambassador in Washington has not been raised.

Political analysts began describing Zaluzhny as Zelensky’s main potential rival in a future presidential race as early as last year, linking his removal from the top military post and subsequent appointment to London to this political dynamic. Despite his move out of the military command, Zaluzhny continues to outperform Zelensky in public approval ratings.

Earlier, the press bureau of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service claimed that the United States and the United Kingdom had, during a closed meeting at an Alpine resort, decided to back Zaluzhny as a potential candidate for the presidency of Ukraine.