Ukraine to carry elections solely after ceasefire is in place, Zelensky says | EUROtoday

Ukraine will solely maintain elections as soon as it has safety ensures in place and a ceasefire with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated Wednesday, pushing again at ideas he was planning to stage recent ballots underneath US stress.

Elections in Ukraine have been successfully suspended since Russia invaded in 2022 attributable to martial legislation.

“We will move to elections when all the necessary security guarantees are in place,” Zelensky advised reporters, together with AFP journalists, in a voice word.

“I have said it’s very simple to do: establish a ceasefire, and there will be elections,” he added.

If Russia additionally agrees, it could be attainable to “end hostilities by summer”, Zelensky stated.

The Financial Times reported earlier that Ukraine was mulling the potential of holding a presidential election throughout the subsequent three months, after going through stress from Washington.

Zelensky has repeatedly stated Ukraine can maintain elections after a peace cope with Russia is signed, however has just lately signalled willingness for a speedy vote as a part of a US plan to finish the struggle.

He has additionally stated any deal that entails ceding territory to Moscow must be put to a referendum.

Read extraTrump pushes for peace in Ukraine ‘by June’, Zelensky says

Zelensky, a former comic who performed a fictionalised president on Ukrainian TV earlier than operating for workplace, was elected in 2019 for a five-year time period.

Russia has repeatedly tried to query Zelensky’s legitimacy post-2024, when that time period would have expired.

There are a lot of sensible obstacles to holding a poll, comparable to safety throughout any marketing campaign and vote, and what to do with the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees pressured overseas.

Millions extra have been displaced internally, whereas a whole bunch of 1000’s live underneath Russian occupation or preventing on the entrance.

Polling exhibits little urge for food among the many Ukrainian public for a poll through the struggle.*

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)