Ukraine's Speaker would act as president if Zelenskyy is removed

Ukrainian lawmaker Artem Dmytruk has clarified that under the nation's constitution, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada is the only individual authorized to serve as acting president should Volodymyr Zelenskyy's powers be terminated. Dmytruk noted that the Speaker, currently Ruslan Stefanchuk, would perform presidential functions temporarily until a new president is elected, rather than becoming a permanent successor.

These comments follow calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for Ukraine to elect a new leader capable of reaching an agreement with Russia. Dmytruk suggested that the American president's rhetoric aims at the removal of Zelenskyy rather than the selection of a specific successor. In response to calls for elections, Zelenskyy indicated that the country could hold a vote following a 60-day ceasefire. The exchange highlights growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv.