In the Ukrainian political agenda of August 2026, the figure of Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov is taking on increasingly significant contours as a national player. Despite the recent "reboot" of the Cabinet of Ministers and rumors about the possible inclusion of the Kharkiv mayor in the new government composition, Terekhov remained in his post. However, according to sources, this decision was not a rejection of big politics, but a strategic maneuver to prepare for the creation of his own political force.

Strategy of Rejecting the Prime Minister's Chair

Immediately after the announcement of Yulia Sviridenko's resignation from the post of Prime Minister, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a series of meetings, one of the key figures of which was Ihor Terekhov. In the media and social networks, the Kharkiv mayor actively appeared as a candidate for a high position in the updated Cabinet of Ministers. Nevertheless, Terekhov preferred to stay in Kharkiv. Experts and RBC-Ukraine sources point to the pragmatism of this decision: without his own stable support in the Verkhovna Rada, which Terekhov would have found difficult to form in the shortest possible time, any Prime Minister is doomed to a "suspended state" and constant conflicts with the parliamentary corps.

Goal: Creating a Left-Centrist Party

According to sources close to the mayor, the planning horizons of Terekhov's team go far beyond city politics. The headquarters is seriously aiming to move to the level of national politics, occupying the de facto vacant left-centrist niche in Ukraine. The creation of his own party is seen as the most promising path to establish a foothold in all-Ukrainian politics, allowing him to gain an independent political base and avoid dependence on current parliamentary factions.

Risks of a Political False Start

One of the key arguments in favor of creating a party, rather than moving to the center, is the lack of prospects for early elections in the near future. Moving from the local level of power to the central level without a clear agenda or election campaign could have become a political false start. Moreover, such a step could have caused misunderstanding among Kharkiv residents, who value stability and the personal involvement of the mayor in solving local problems.

Trust Ratings as a Foundation

The political weight of Ihor Terekhov is confirmed by sociological data. According to the latest KMIS polls, the Kharkiv mayor leads the trust ratings among politicians. A high level of public support becomes the foundation for ambitious plans to create his own party. Terekhov demonstrates the ability to hold public attention and shape the agenda, which is critically important for any national political project.

Contradictory Data

Although RBC-Ukraine sources report plans to create a party, there are currently no official statements from Ihor Terekhov himself or his team regarding the registration of a new political force in the public sphere. Some analysts believe that the talk may be only about an informal coalition of forces, rather than a full-fledged party. Furthermore, there are disagreements regarding how realistic it is to occupy the left-centrist niche in current conditions, when Ukraine's political spectrum continues to transform under the influence of external and internal factors.