Zelenskyy ‘ready for elections’ after Trump questions Ukrainian democracy

According to Rokna, citing The Guardian, Zelenskyy, visibly irritated by Trump’s remarks, stressed that the matter “belongs to the people of Ukraine, not to officials of other states, with full respect to our partners.”

He nonetheless pledged to examine possible mechanisms for organising a vote in the coming months. Speaking on Tuesday evening, Zelenskyy said: “Since this question has been raised today by the president of the United States of America, our partner, I will be very brief: look, I am ready for elections.”

He added that he was asking the United States, “possibly together with European colleagues,” to help guarantee security for the vote, saying that if such support is provided, Ukraine could be prepared to hold elections within the next 60 to 90 days. “I personally have the will and readiness for this,” he said.

Trump’s comments came in a lengthy interview with Politico published earlier on Tuesday. “They haven’t had an election in a long time,” the US president said. “They talk about a democracy, but at some point it’s not a democracy any more.”

Zelenskyy’s five-year presidential mandate expired in May last year, but Ukraine’s constitution prohibits elections during wartime. Even his political opponents have repeatedly insisted that security and political conditions make an election impossible under current circumstances.

“It would only cause harm,” said Serhiy Rakhmanin, an MP from the opposition Holos party. “He is the commander-in-chief, and the country is in a position where we don’t have that luxury, whatever criticisms we might have of him. An election would only help the enemy,” he added.

Zelenskyy said two fundamental issues would need to be resolved: first, how soldiers, millions of displaced citizens, and people living under occupation could participate in voting; and second, how to conduct an election legally while martial law remains in force.

He said he had requested guidance from Ukraine’s allies on securing the vote, and from lawmakers on how to amend legislation to enable elections. “I am waiting for proposals from our partners, I am waiting for proposals from our MPs, and I am ready to go to the elections,” Zelenskyy said.

He made the comments while returning from a diplomatic trip to European capitals, undertaken as the White House has increased pressure on Kyiv to move toward a peace agreement.

Answering questions from reporters on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would do everything possible to arrange a high-level meeting with the United States within two weeks to discuss a peace deal. He also said Kyiv was prepared to enter into an energy ceasefire if Russia agreed.

Over the weekend, Donald Trump Jr claimed at a conference in Doha that Zelenskyy was prolonging the war because he feared losing power if it ended. He also suggested that Trump might “walk away” from Ukraine if the conflict continued. Asked about his son’s remarks, Trump responded: “It’s not correct. But it’s not exactly wrong.”

The United States has signalled that Ukraine should relinquish the Donbas region in pursuit of peace — a proposal deeply unpopular within Ukraine. Meanwhile, there is no indication that Russia is prepared to accept any deal, even one that would appear to be advantageous for Moscow.