Zelensky rejects wartime ballot, warning of national divide
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly ruled out holding national elections in the near future, stating that a wartime vote poses severe security risks and would fragment the country.
Speaking with journalists, Zelensky stressed that Western partners have yet to present concrete terms ensuring the safety, legitimacy, and democratic integrity of such a process. Any credible vote must guarantee full participation for frontline soldiers and millions of citizens displaced abroad, he added.
Security obstacles and battlefield realities
Zelensky highlighted that Russia would not halt hostilities to facilitate polling, making standard voting procedures impossible under current conditions.
"Elections right now would be a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine," Zelensky said, as quoted by public broadcaster Suspilne. "Therefore, my strategy is to lead the country to the end of the war and preserve an independent and sovereign state."
Domestic political tensions
The debate over presidential elections resurfaced in mid-August after former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov publicly called for a vote. Fedorov, who moved into de facto opposition following his dismissal in mid-July, previously criticized the state leadership over governance and anti-corruption measures.
Defending his proposal, the former minister argued that democratic processes must not remain hostage to Russian aggression.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
