The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that elections in the country can only occur after the war with Russia ends, and not during a temporary ceasefire. He shared this in an interview with the Italian publication Corriere Della Sera, released on March 3.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Government’s Position on Elections During War
Zelensky emphasized that the issue of holding elections is directly linked to the cessation of hostilities, rather than a possible short-term ceasefire. Previously, the Ukrainian authorities and the president himself did not rule out holding elections even before signing peace agreements with Russia, but the main condition was a ceasefire lasting at least several months.
“The real question is: when can we hold elections? They will definitely take place after the war ends, not during a temporary ceasefire. And I am not at all sure that I will run; I will see what the Ukrainians want,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian legislation does not allow for elections to be held during martial law. As a result, the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, which were supposed to take place in 2024, were not held. Consequently, Zelensky has been in office as president for almost seven years, even though his term is five years.
International and Domestic Context of the Electoral Process
Some international partners, including the United States, are demanding elections from Ukraine. President Donald Trump publicly called for this. The Ukrainian authorities emphasize that elections are only possible if security guarantees are provided during their conduct. In his statements in December 2025 and February 2026, Zelensky noted that Ukraine is ready for elections on the condition of at least a two-month ceasefire.
In the interview, Zelensky also confirmed that he would not agree to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the territories controlled in Donbas, as this would open the door for Russia to new demands and concessions from Ukraine.
The president expressed hope for the continuation of trilateral peace negotiations involving Russia, the USA, and Ukraine, which could take place on March 5-6. Possible venues mentioned by Zelensky include Switzerland, Austria, the Vatican, or Turkey.
At the same time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on March 3 that the exact date and location of the upcoming negotiations have not yet been determined, but Abu Dhabi has been excluded from the list of potential locations, as the UAE capital is under threat of strikes from Iran due to the military operation of Israel and the USA against Tehran, and air travel there is currently irregular.
Analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) report that the Kremlin is actively using the topic of future elections in Ukraine to spread disinformation about the alleged illegitimacy of the Ukrainian government. According to experts’ conclusions, the Kremlin seeks to influence Ukrainian politics and will not recognize the election results if a pro-Russian government does not come to power.