The Kremlin has preemptively rejected the legitimacy of any future Ukrainian government that it does not control. This came in response to a recent statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding his readiness to hold elections even before the war initiated by Russia is over.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Kremlin’s Reaction and Statements from Russian Officials
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that representatives of the Kremlin reacted negatively to Zelensky’s initiative, despite previously demanding that Ukraine hold elections as a prerequisite for peace negotiations or an end to the war.
Analysts particularly highlighted comments from Russian President Dmitry Peskov’s spokesperson, who stated that the Kremlin had not discussed Zelensky’s readiness for elections but would continue to monitor developments closely. Additionally, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Zelensky of “cynicism” and claimed that the Ukrainian president’s appeal to the U.S. and Europe for guarantees of election security indicates a loss of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
ISW also pointed out that Russian state media published a statement from Viktor Medvedchuk, a former member of the Verkhovna Rada and close to the Russian authorities, on December 10. Medvedchuk, whom the Kremlin viewed as an alternative to Zelensky following the onset of the full-scale invasion, called for the forced removal of Zelensky from office and criticized potential peace negotiations.
“The Kremlin’s response to Zelensky aligns with Putin’s statements from November 27 that Russia is only interested in signing peace agreements with a pro-Russian government in Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian authorities will need to take additional steps after the elections before the Kremlin considers signing any peace agreements. The reaction of Kremlin officials to the prospect of elections in Ukraine once again demonstrates that Russia continues to justify its actions to halt any peace negotiations that do not involve Ukraine’s capitulation,” the report states.
Discussion on Elections and the West’s Position
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump stated in an interview with Politico that presidential elections need to be held in Ukraine, which he claimed have been “long overdue.” In his view, the Ukrainian government is “using the war to avoid elections.”
In response to this statement, Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his readiness to hold elections and called on the United States and the European Union to help ensure the security of the electoral process. The president noted that with the support of international partners, Ukraine could organize elections within 60-90 days. On December 10, Zelensky reported on consultations with representatives of the Verkhovna Rada, from whom he expects guidance on the legal possibility of holding elections during the state of martial law.
Previously, Donald Trump had already called for elections in Ukraine and even referred to Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator,” although he did not repeat such statements afterward.
For their part, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials also label the Ukrainian government as illegitimate, as presidential elections were not held in 2024, and the appointment of regional officials occurs through presidential decrees.
It is worth noting that according to Ukrainian legislation, holding elections is prohibited during the state of martial law, which was imposed on February 24, 2022.
ISW emphasizes that Kremlin officials regularly promote a false narrative regarding the alleged illegitimacy of the Ukrainian government to influence ceasefire negotiations and to refuse future agreements at a convenient time for Russia.
The institute stresses that any long-term peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia must include a clear recognition of the legitimacy of the president, government, constitution, and sovereignty of Ukraine.