Russia and Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine, engaged in a conflict which will soon celebrate its second anniversary, will hold presidential elections in 2024.
Vladimir Putin, will look for a fourth term as president of Russia in March. Although the Russian system previously prevented a person from serving more than two terms in the position, a change to the country’s constitution in 2020 allowed Putin to run again. He won 77% of the votes cast in 2018, an election result that was treated with strong skepticism by the international community.
The Kremlin’s latest budget predicted that Russia would spend 6 percent of its GDP on defense – more than on social security – as the Kremlin budget forecasts. war in Ukraine dominates Mr. Putin’s political agenda.
On the other side of the front, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, will likely seek re-election next year in a vote that will be seen as a referendum on his performance during the war that by then would have entered in its third year.
Mr. Zelensky has spent the last year touring Western capitals trying to persuade leaders to continue supporting Kiev’s war effort, but he faces domestic backlash after the fall offensive aimed at repelling the Russian invaders did not meet expectations.
Ukraine’s constitution says a new election must be held on March 31, although the country has declared martial law, suspending that requirement.
Last month, Mr Zelensky said “this is not the right time for elections” and called for martial law to be extended until mid-February. There has been speculation that Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the popular leader of Ukraine’s armed forces, could run against Mr. Zelensky when the election is called.