Former US President Donald Trump's statement about the time having come to hold presidential elections in Ukraine sparked heated discussions in Kyiv. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
In response to this statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed readiness to hold elections in the coming months, but emphasized that certain conditions must be met. According to Zelensky, elections can only be held under conditions where security is fully guaranteed.
To this end, he requested practical assistance from the US and European countries to ensure security during the voting process. The President believes that if necessary measures are implemented, the elections can be technically organized within 60–90 days.
Additionally, Zelensky noted the need to establish a legal basis for holding elections under martial law. He announced that he has submitted a proposal to the Verkhovna Rada to amend the relevant laws in this regard.
According to current legislation, holding elections during martial law in Ukraine is prohibited. It is known that martial law has been in effect in Ukraine since the start of Russia's large-scale invasion.
For this reason, the presidential elections planned for 2024 have been postponed indefinitely. Moscow has been using this situation to portray Zelensky as an "illegitimate" leader.
Following Trump's statement, the election issue has come back on the agenda. Some international forces are demanding that elections be held sooner in Ukraine, but Kyiv is proceeding cautiously on this matter.
This is because the situation at the front is complicated and security is not guaranteed. At the same time, reports that the Verkhovna Rada is preparing for elections in 2025 have been denied by officials.
From Zelensky's statement, it is clear that the Ukrainian leadership does not intend to halt democratic processes. However, to achieve this, international assistance, security guarantees, and appropriate legislative amendments are necessary.
