Ukraine delays elections, warns of risks in martial law lapse
- We all would like the war to end so that we can hold presidential elections, - said Volodymyr Zelensky. In an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, he emphasized why they cannot be held earlier. - If martial law is suspended, we will lose the army, - he argued.
In the media and political space, questions are resurfacing about when presidential elections will be held in Ukraine. Zelensky's term formally ends on May 20, 2024. However, it has been repeatedly emphasized that both Ukrainian society and the government do not want elections during the ongoing war.
Let us recall that last week, a special envoy of President Donald Trump for Ukraine and Russia, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, suggested that the USA wants Ukraine to hold elections by the end of the year. The condition is a prior ceasefire with Russia.
These words were harshly criticized by the Ukrainian president’s advisor on communication, Dmitry Litvin, as well as the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova.
In a recent interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Volodymyr Zelensky himself addressed this topic. He emphasized that if martial law is suspended before the war ends to conduct elections, Ukraine will lose its army, and the Russians will exploit this situation.
- We all would like the war to end and for us to conduct elections. However, during the war, our compatriots are against elections because everyone understands what will happen, - he said.
The Ukrainian leader noted that in order to organize and conduct presidential elections, martial law must first be lifted or suspended. And that is what Putin and the Kremlin are anticipating. In such situations, soldiers would return from the front, mobilization would cease, and "people would lose morale to continue fighting."
- If we suspend martial law, we will lose the army, we will also lose morale, and essentially, the Russians will be satisfied. People will return home and will have every right to do so. And Russia will surely use it for counter-offensive actions, - Zelensky emphasized.
He once again mentioned the difficulties associated with voting in occupied territories, as well as millions of Ukrainians forced to remain abroad.
- You will see, if elections are held and those people who cannot vote abroad or in temporarily occupied territories are excluded, then Russia will say: "We do not believe in these elections." Although I am not interested in their opinion, they will say: "These elections were illegal." - How can people vote fairly in temporarily occupied territories controlled by Russians? It will resemble the referendum in Crimea - under threat of arms. This is what the Russians want; this would cause total destabilization in Ukraine. That's why I would be very cautious on this matter, - emphasized the Ukrainian leader.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda/OSW/WP
