Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that he does not seek to cling to power at any cost, but it is important to ensure political readiness for elections so that their results are recognized as legitimate internationally.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Security as a Key Condition for the Electoral Process
The head of state stressed that the main prerequisite for holding elections or a referendum is guarantees of safety for citizens throughout Ukraine. According to him, it is necessary to ensure a secure sky and safe conditions for all participants in the electoral process — military personnel, civilians, as well as Ukrainians abroad. The involvement of international observers requires special attention.
“The second issue is security. I repeat this daily because Russia repeats its strikes against us daily. There must be a secure sky and safety everywhere on our territory, at least during the elections or the referendum. A referendum is the same electoral process; people need to be given the opportunity to come and vote. Everywhere — whether military, civilian, or people abroad. Observers must be present everywhere. It is important to consider what actions Russia is taking and what countermeasures our partners should implement,” the president emphasized.
He also noted that, according to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia is trying to organize the participation of Ukrainians who are in the Russian Federation and in occupied territories in the voting process. The goal of such actions is to create a pretext for not recognizing the results of the elections in Ukraine and to spread the narrative of the alleged illegitimacy of the Ukrainian government.
Kremlin Pressure and International Reaction
The president highlighted that Russia, which itself does not meet democratic standards, is trying to manipulate the issue of the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government and influence the opinion of the international community through propaganda. At the same time, current Ukrainian legislation explicitly prohibits holding elections, including presidential ones, during martial law. It is precisely because of the war that parliamentary elections did not take place in 2023 and presidential elections are not scheduled for 2024. This is actively used by the Kremlin to discredit the Ukrainian government.
At the same time, Zelensky announced his readiness to present a peace agreement with 20 points for consideration by parliament or for a nationwide referendum. In response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement about the necessity of holding presidential elections in Ukraine, Zelensky emphasized his readiness for such a step, appealing to the U.S. for assistance in ensuring security during the elections.
Russian officials, including Vladimir Putin, have repeatedly spread false claims about the alleged illegitimacy of the Ukrainian government due to the absence of elections in 2024. During a press conference in Moscow on December 19, Putin stated that Russia is “ready to consider” security guarantees during the elections, even promising to refrain from strikes on the day of voting, but noted that he sees no need to cease fire.
It is worth reminding that since the introduction of martial law in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, any elections have been prohibited under current legislation.