Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Ready for Elections if US Ensures Security:

Zelenskyy made the remarks on Tuesday after facing new criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump. In an interview published by Politico, Trump suggested that Ukraine was using Russia’s ongoing invasion as an excuse to delay elections. He argued that if Ukraine claims to be a democracy, it must also be willing to hold elections on time. His comments added political pressure on Kyiv at a moment when Ukraine is already dealing with a difficult military situation and struggling to maintain international support. Under current Ukrainian law, national elections cannot take place during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelenskyy’s presidential term officially expired last year, but Ukraine’s parliament voted earlier this year to confirm that his continued leadership is constitutional during wartime. Lawmakers argued that holding elections while millions are displaced, cities are under attack, and a large part of the country remains occupied would be unsafe and impractical. Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy strongly rejected Trump’s suggestion that he was trying to hold on to power. He called the accusation “totally inadequate” and stressed that he has never sought to avoid elections for personal reasons. Instead, he said the real issue is ensuring that all Ukrainians—both at home and abroad—can vote freely without fear of Russian attacks. “I’m ready for elections,” Zelenskyy said. “And I ask the United States, together with our European partners, to help us create the security needed for voting. If that can be arranged, then in the next 60 to 90 days, Ukraine will be ready to hold an election.” Zelenskyy also said he would ask parliament to begin preparing proposals for new legislation that would allow elections to take place during martial law, a step that would require major legal adjustments. The biggest challenge, however, remains the security situation. Russian missiles and drones strike Ukrainian cities almost daily, and nearly one million Ukrainian soldiers are currently deployed at the front. Millions of civilians have been displaced inside the country or forced to move abroad. Another major concern is how to organize voting in the roughly 20 percent of Ukraine that is still occupied by Russian forces. Ukrainian officials say it is impossible to run a free or fair election in those regions. Public opinion in Ukraine also reflects the complexity of the situation. Recent polls show that most Ukrainians do not want elections during wartime because of the security risks. However, many people also express a desire for new political voices, since the political landscape has changed little since the last national elections in 2019. The debate over elections comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment. Kyiv is resisting a U.S.-backed peace plan that it sees as too favorable to Moscow. According to reports, the proposal would require Ukraine to give up territory that Russia does not even fully control, mainly the industrial Donbas region. In exchange, Ukraine would receive security guarantees that fall short of its long-standing goal of joining NATO. Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine will not accept any deal that forces the country to surrender land to Russia. Kyiv is instead pushing for stronger and more reliable security commitments from Western partners, arguing that without them, any future peace agreement would simply invite another Russian attack. As Ukraine continues to defend itself on multiple fronts—military, diplomatic, and political—the debate over elections highlights the difficult choices facing the country during the war.

NEWS