Zelensky Rejects Wartime Elections, Citing Danger

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that holding national elections during the ongoing war would be too dangerous and could fracture the country, rejecting calls prompted by former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. He noted that Ukrainian law currently prohibits elections amid wartime, and emphasized the need to focus on ending the conflict and preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty. Fedorov, who was fired last year, has urged a ‘legal, safe and realistic’ mechanism to renew democracy even in a long war, and he is planning to visit the United States to raise funds for defense technology projects rather than seek political support. Zelenskyy also pressed for national unity, warning against internal divisions or camps that could threaten Ukraine’s stability, and he cautioned that there are no concrete international proposals to hold safe elections under current conditions. Reports also highlighted expectations of Russian mobilization and ongoing battlefield developments as context for his stance.