In a wide-ranging interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that elections in Ukraine can only take place after the war ends or following significant legislative changes.
“Everyone in Ukraine understands that elections are impossible until the war ends, or the legislation needs to be changed,” Zelenskyy said. “According to the law, elections will take place immediately after martial law ends. Alternatively, parliamentarians would need to gather and change legislation, which would be very difficult because society opposes it.”
The president explained that public resistance to holding elections stems from multiple challenges, including the need to create voting infrastructure for 8.5 million Ukrainians abroad.
“Millions of people are in occupied territories. I’m not even talking about the 2014 occupation but about the current occupation. What do we do with those people? It’s a complex issue. And one of the most unfair aspects would be voting without a million military personnel. It’s impossible,” he emphasized.
While discussing potential electoral reforms, Zelenskyy mentioned the possibility of online voting, though he acknowledged concerns about cybersecurity threats.
In the same interview, the Ukrainian leader also addressed the possibility of peace negotiations, emphasizing that talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin would only be possible after securing strong security guarantees through discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump.
“I think on January 25 or another day, we sit down first with Trump. We discuss with him how we can stop the war and Putin,” Zelenskyy said.
“Force Putin to do what’s necessary to end the war — that’s what’s important,” he added, emphasizing that Trump’s most effective contribution would be securing strong security guarantees for Ukraine before any negotiations with Russia begin.
Related:
- Russian attacks on Ukraine’s northern Sumy Oblast increase fourfold in comparison to last year
- Blinken: Ukraine’s position in Kursk “important” for future negotiations
- The Telegraph: Putin dispatches key general to Kursk as Ukraine launches new offensive operation
- Zelenskyy: Peace talks with Putin possible if Ukraine has strong security guarantees
