Zelensky again says no to presidential elections

Published 20 November 2024 at 10.25

Foreign. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes again that no new presidential election will be held as long as the country is at war.

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During a speech in the Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that the constitution and the country's laws prohibit elections under martial law.

– First, Ukraine needs a fair peace, and then Ukrainians can hold fair elections. We must prioritize the common interest over individual desires, Zelenskyy said.

The president also claimed that “no one in the world has demanded or is demanding” that elections be held in Ukraine.

His term expired out in March 2024, but the election was called off citing martial law imposed in 2022. Zelensky recently extended that martial law until February 2025.

Zelensky criticized those who are pushing political agendas during the conflict, calling it “harmful to Ukraine.”

– Here in Ukraine, there are some people who are so power-hungry that they want fight more within our state more than for the sake of our state. They want political disputes in the trenches, like in the TV studios.

Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefantjuk has announced that presidential elections will be held within 60 days after martial law is lifted. However, Zelenskyi has been criticized for consolidating power during the conflict, including by firing high-ranking government and military leaders and banning several opposition parties. The government has defended these measures with reference to national security.