Ukraine’s leadership is edging toward a major political milestone, even as the war that began in 2022 continues to shape every aspect of national life.
According to Fox News, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country could be prepared to hold its first election since Russia’s invasion — but only if international partners provide the security assurances needed to protect the process.
Zelenskyy explained that two obstacles stand between Ukraine and a vote: maintaining security during wartime and updating the legal framework that currently forbids elections under martial law.
“I have asked lawmakers from my party to work on legislative proposals to allow Ukraine to hold elections while the country remains under martial law,” he said, according to the Associated Press.
Because martial law has been in force since February 2022, Ukrainian law has effectively frozen the electoral calendar. Zelenskyy has declined to call a vote, a decision widely supported by the public, the AP reported.
Speaking to reporters via WhatsApp, Zelenskyy said he is now seeking outside help to change that.
“Moreover, I am now asking — and I am stating this openly — for the United States, possibly together with our European colleagues, to help me ensure security for holding elections,” he said. “And then, within the next 60–90 days, Ukraine will be ready to hold them.”
His comments came after President Donald Trump criticized Zelenskyy for postponing elections, saying the war had become a justification for avoiding democratic processes. Trump has previously labeled Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections” and argued Ukraine risked drifting away from democratic norms.
“They haven’t had an election in a long time,” Trump told Politico. “You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”
In the same interview, Trump accused Zelenskyy of being behind on peace negotiations and claimed the Ukrainian president had not reviewed the White House’s latest proposal.
The Trump administration has been pursuing a peace framework aimed at ending the conflict, which has now lasted nearly four years. Late last month, Washington unveiled a 28-point plan that Kyiv and European partners said leaned too heavily toward Russia’s demands. Ukrainian officials later met with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and trimmed the proposal.
“We are working very actively on all components of potential steps toward ending the war,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “The Ukrainian and European components are now more developed, and we are ready to present them to our partners in the U.S.”
“We are committed to a real peace and remain in constant contact with the United States,” he added.
