Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi lead hypothetical Ukrainian presidential first round

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi led a hypothetical first-round presidential election in Ukraine. Zelenskyy received 22.9% support, while Zaluzhnyi received 20.2%.

Rating Group conducted the survey on 3–5 October 2026 using computer-assisted telephone interviews with 1,000 Ukrainians aged 18 and over.

Other candidates in the survey

Former president Petro Poroshenko and former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov each received 7.6%. Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov had 6.7% support.

Andrii Biletskyi received 5.4%, Dmytro Razumkov 5.1%, Serhii Prytula 2.4%, Yuliia Tymoshenko 1.9% and Yurii Boiko 1.4%.

Another candidate was chosen by 4.5% of respondents. A further 5.2% said they would not vote, while 9.2% were undecided.

Methodology and margin of error

Respondents were selected through a random sample of mobile phone numbers across all oblasts except temporarily occupied territories and areas without Ukrainian mobile coverage when the survey was conducted. The sample was weighted using current State Statistics Service data and is representative by age, gender and settlement type.

The margin of error does not exceed 3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The figures describe a hypothetical choice, not the outcome of a scheduled election.

A recent Kyiv International Institute of Sociology survey found that more than half of Ukrainians believe Zelenskyy should not seek a second term.