KIEV, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Michel Terestchenko, a French-born Ukrainian politician, announced on Monday that he would run for the Ukrainian presidency next year.

While speaking at the press conference in Kiev, Terestchenko said he is stepping down from his position of mayor of the northeastern town of Hlukhiv to focus on the presidential campaign.

"It's impossible to change the system at the level of a small town ... I have no other choice, but to run for the president of Ukraine," Terestchenko told reporters.

The 64-year-old Terestchenko was born in Paris and moved to Ukraine in 2003. He became a Ukrainian citizen in March 2015 shortly before being elected Hlukhiv mayor.

Ukraine is scheduled to hold presidential elections in March next year.