During the Munich Security Conference 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainians don’t want holding national elections, arguing that this would lead to a full occupation of Ukraine.
This comes after the US encouraged Ukraine to hold elections, potentially by the end of 2025, especially if a ceasefire with Russia is achieved in the coming months. Zelenskyy presidency was supposed to end in May 2024, however he remained in office, citing the need for the hot phase of the war to end and for security guarantees to be provided to Ukraine.
Ukrainian law currently prohibits elections under martial law, which has been in effect since February 2022. Russia has been actively pushing the narrative that the Ukrainian president is “illegitimate”, which Ukraine views as an effort to undermine its leadership during the war.
“Ukrainians do not want elections because holding them would compromise our martial law and force our soldiers to return home to territories occupied by Putin.
Currently, we are mobilized and united as one organism, one country. It is crucial to maintain our cohesion and resilience. This is not about me personally, but about the future of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said at the Munich Security Conference 2025.
The president directly addressed potential criticism by suggesting that individuals who disagree with the current national stance have the option to seek citizenship in another country.
“The fundamental priority is survival and preserving our independence. For those who disagree with this stance, the option remains to seek citizenship elsewhere,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy reiterated his earlier position of being “open” to elections while simultaneously maintaining that such a process is impossible during wartime.
The Ukrainian president stated that presidential and parliamentary elections may occur in 2025 if the war with Russia ends and martial law is lifted
He claimed that conducting elections during the ongoing war would compromise the country’s defense capabilities and align with Russian interests. Zelenskyy noted that the push for elections is being propagated by Russia, aiming to install a pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine.
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, stated that holding elections would strengthen Ukraine’s democracy, reflecting the view that most democratic nations hold elections even during wartime.
The approval of President Zelenskyy among Ukrainian citizens notably decreased from around 90% in 2022 when Russia’s full-scale invasion began to around 52% in 2024.
Related:
- If martial law is suspended for elections, Ukraine will lose its army, Zelenskyy warns
- Zelenskyy: I’m ready to negotiate with Putin as long as US and Europe will not abandon Ukraine
- Reuters: Ukraine prioritizes security guarantees ahead of potential Trump-Putin meeting
- Zelenskyy urges US allies to shield Ukraine’s trillion-dollar titanium, uranium resources
- Kellogg: Trump ready to double down on Russian sanctions
- Zelenskyy warns against Ukraine’s exclusion from US-Russia peace talks
