Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected calls for elections while Russia’s full-scale war continues, warning on Sunday (August 23) that a wartime vote could destabilise and divide Ukraine. “If we want to destroy the country, then during a war like this we can move toward elections,” Zelenskyy told reporters. He described elections under current conditions as “a tsunami for the state” that would split the country.
The comments were Zelenskyy’s first response to a call for elections by former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed in July. In a video address published on YouTube on August 18, Fedorov argued that Ukraine should develop a “legal, safe, and realistic mechanism” to restore the democratic process despite the prolonged war. He acknowledged that any vote would need to address major obstacles, including the participation of soldiers, Ukrainians living abroad, and residents of frontline areas, as well as the security of polling and public confidence in the result.
Zelenskyy said an election could only be considered if conditions allowed it to be conducted safely, legitimately and democratically. This would require ensuring participation by military personnel, residents of frontline areas and millions of Ukrainians abroad, while protecting voters from Russian attacks. He said Ukraine’s international partners had not presented a concrete plan capable of meeting these requirements.
Ukraine has not held a presidential election since 2019, when Zelenskyy won 73 per cent of the vote against incumbent Petro Poroshenko. Although his five-year term was scheduled to end in May 2024, elections are prohibited under Ukrainian law while martial law remains in force. Martial law was introduced following Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
The debate has also drawn international attention. U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Ukraine’s lack of elections in December 2025, arguing that Ukrainians “should have that choice.” Zelenskyy previously responded that he could hold an election within 60 to 90 days if the United States and European allies helped guarantee the security of the process.
The election dispute comes amid a broader rupture between Zelenskyy and Fedorov. The president said the former minister had become involved in a serious conflict with military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi over the relationship between the Defense Ministry and the military command. Fedorov’s dismissal has then triggered widespread protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities: on July 16 only, more than 1,000 people reportedly gathered outside Zelenskyy’s office to demand his reinstatement. However, his recent call for elections also drew criticism from some soldiers and protesters who had supported his return. Fedorov has not explicitly stated whether he would run in a future presidential election.
Source: commonspace.eu with Kyiv Independent (Kyiv) and The Epoch Times (New York).
