Zelensky will retain power despite legitimacy concerns

Significance President Volodymyr Zelensky’s original five-year term legally expired last week. The absence of a presidential election -- effectively ruled out by the ongoing war -- has allowed Moscow to question Zelensky’s legitimacy as the head of state. Although Ukraine and its allies have brushed off these claims, the situation does present Kyiv with a problem. Russian propaganda is influential in some parts of the world, especially the Global South, and could undermine the perception of Zelensky’s legitimacy outside Ukraine's supporters in the West. Impacts Questions over Zelensky's legitimacy will not affect the West’s resolve to support Ukraine. Russia’s campaign against Zelensky inside Ukraine is likely to prove counter-productive and encourage internal unity rather than dissent. Kyiv will step up diplomatic efforts to counter Moscow’s narrative, especially in regions more susceptible to Russian propaganda.