Ukrainian ambassador to London and former commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, General Valery Zaluzhny, dismissed questions about his presidential ambitions as "pub talk" and said he would not comment on his political future until martial law is lifted in the country, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
In a speech at "Chatham House" (The Royal Institute of International Affairs - ed.) in the British capital, Zaluzhny said he would reveal his political plans only after the hostilities in the war in Ukraine are over.
"When everything is over, when martial law in Ukraine is lifted ... only then will we be able to discuss my personal future," he said.
Zaluzhny was commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army until February 2024, and is now Ukraine's ambassador to the UK. Although he has not announced plans to run for president, polls consistently show him as the most serious challenger to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky, under pressure from the United States to agree to a peace deal with Moscow, has signaled that he is ready to hold elections in Ukraine when the fighting ends.
In an interview with The Associated Press published last week, Zaluzhny gave new details about the rift in his relationship with Zelensky, fueling speculation about long-standing tensions between the two.
Zaluzny, however, declined to comment on his possible ambitions to run for president.
"To answer this question, I have to go to some of the wonderful pubs in this city ... actually, this is a conversation about a pub or a bar," Zaluzhny said in response to a question about his plans for politics.