Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again raised the issue of holding elections in Ukraine and urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to adopt a realistic approach to the situation in the country.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Trump on Elections and Peace Prospects
During a conversation with journalists, Trump stated that Volodymyr Zelensky needs to be realistic about the political situation in Ukraine. He emphasized the lengthy period without elections in the country, highlighting that Ukraine is a democratic state and elections should be an integral part of it. Trump also noted that a significant portion of the population, according to him, seeks a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, he did not specify which sociological studies he is relying on.
“I think he (Zelensky – ed.) needs to be realistic. And I wonder how much longer it will be before they have elections? This is democracy. A lot of time has passed. They haven’t held elections in a long time,” he said in response to journalists’ questions.
Moreover, Trump highlighted the issue of corruption in Ukraine and expressed the opinion that it is time to end the war, as this requires the participation of both sides.
Zelensky’s Response and the Position of Official Kyiv
Following Trump’s statements, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his readiness to hold elections, appealing to the United States for assistance in ensuring security during the electoral process. Zelensky noted that he has already held consultations with representatives of the Verkhovna Rada and is awaiting their vision regarding the possibility of elections under martial law.
Previously, Trump had repeatedly called for elections in Ukraine and had expressed harsher assessments of Zelensky. At the same time, the official rhetoric of Russian officials, led by Vladimir Putin, also included accusations of the illegitimacy of the Ukrainian government due to the absence of elections in 2024. However, elections in Ukraine are blocked due to the martial law that was imposed on February 24, 2022, and conducting elections during its enforcement is impossible according to current legislation.
Sociological studies show that the majority of Ukrainians support seeking a compromise to end the war. According to the results of a survey by the sociological group “Rating,” published in August, 59% of citizens advocate for a cessation of hostilities and achieving a compromise, while 20% insist on continuing the war until the return of Crimea and Donbas, and 13% until control is restored to the line of demarcation as of February 23, 2022.
In the same survey, 82% of respondents consider negotiations a realistic path to ending the war: most of them support a compromise involving international mediators, while 20% favor direct consultations with Russia.