Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly stated that conducting an election amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia poses a significant threat to national safety. His remarks came in response to a recent proposal by the former defense minister, who urged the government to organize a vote despite the circumstances.
In the midst of navigating these political challenges, Zelenskyy also revealed a new agreement with Norway, focusing on the acquisition of drones. This announcement coincided with the arrival of European dignitaries in Kyiv for discussions leading up to a crucial meeting on Monday. The gathering aims to strategize on intensifying diplomatic efforts to compel Russia to cease its aggressive actions against Ukraine.
Currently, Ukraine operates under martial law, which has led to the postponement of elections—a decision that continues to garner widespread public support. The country remains concentrated on its primary objective: defending itself against the Russian invasion that began in 2022.
Zelenskyy, alongside the persistent adversities posed by war, has previously been urged by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump to hold elections. However, these calls come even as Ukraine endures relentless missile and drone strikes orchestrated by Russian forces.
Addressing reporters on Saturday, Zelenskyy emphasized his stance: “I believe that in a war like this, elections as such are a huge risk,” underscoring the peril that such a political move would entail during ongoing hostilities.
“Elections right now are a tsunami for the country that will split Ukraine.
“If we want to destroy the country, then we can move in the direction of elections during these times of war,” he added.
Obstacles to a vote
Ukraine has been engulfed in a political crisis over the summer, triggered when Zelenskyy fired popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The row forced Zelenskyy to sack his commander-in-chief.
Thousands took to the streets to demand his reinstatement, while Fedorov issued blistering attacks against the army’s top brass.
Then, days ago, the ousted Fedorov made a surprise call to find a way to organise elections.
While he did not explicitly state that he wanted to challenge Zelenskyy, the shock move made even some of his supporters distance themselves.
Experts have cited a flurry of obstacles to staging elections.
They include how soldiers, millions of Ukrainian refugees and people from occupied territories would cast their ballots, as well as the threat of both interference and physical attacks from Russia.
Only 15 per cent of Ukrainians believe elections should be held before the end of hostilities, according to an opinion poll.
Zelenskyy, despite facing growing domestic criticism as the war drags on, remains largely popular.
Fedorov’s team confirmed to Agence France-Presse on Sunday that he plans to visit the US soon — a trip likely to revive speculation about whether he is positioning himself as a rival to Zelenskyy.
The former minister was a prominent backer of the drone warfare strategy that has come to dominate Ukraine’s war with Russia, and had pushed for army reforms — winning support among the public.
Missile deficit
On Sunday, several European leaders met Zelenskyy in Kyiv for a Nordic-Baltic summit.
Following individual meetings with several leaders, Zelenskyy announced a drone deal with Norway “that strengthens cooperation between our defence sectors”.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told reporters his country had pledged 85 billion Norwegian krone ($12.5 billion) to Ukraine for next year.
On Monday, Ukraine’s independence day, the country’s key European backers will meet to discuss Ukraine’s current military problems.
Russia has intensified its strikes, using hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles that expose Ukraine’s air-defence shortfall.
Ukraine, for its part, has accelerated its own campaign of long-range strikes on Russian energy and logistics sites — including oil refineries and retail warehouses.
On Sunday it hit a warehouse belonging to Russian e-commerce giant Ozon for the second day running.
Zelenskyy said deliveries of crucial interceptor missiles for US Patriot air-defence systems — which can shoot down Russia’s ballistic missiles — had halved since 2023.
The US faces its own shortfall of the missiles amid its war on Iran and has been resistant to releasing large numbers to Ukraine.
Civilian deaths in the four-and-a-half-year-long war have surged to their highest since the first months of the invasion amid the uptick in Russian strikes, according to verified statistics from the United Nations.