KYIV, Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that holding elections while the country is fighting Russia would pose a major risk and could deepen divisions, rejecting calls for a vote during the war.
Ukraine has suspended elections under martial law as Kyiv continues to fight Russia since February 2022.
Zelensky has faced calls to hold elections from both Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
“I believe that in a war like this, elections as such are a huge risk. Elections right now are a tsunami for the country that will split Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
“If we want to destroy the country, then we can move in the direction of elections during these times of war,” he added.
Political tensions in Ukraine
The debate over elections comes after a political crisis in Kyiv that erupted over the summer following Zelensky’s dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Thousands of people took to the streets demanding Fedorov’s reinstatement. The former minister also launched sharp attacks against the army’s senior leadership, intensifying the dispute.
The confrontation eventually led Zelensky to dismiss his commander-in-chief.
Days ago, Fedorov made a surprise call for efforts to find a way to organise elections.
He did not explicitly say that he intended to challenge Zelensky.
Fedorov’s position has drawn attention because he had been a prominent supporter of Ukraine’s drone warfare strategy and had advocated reforms of the armed forces. Those positions had helped him build public support.
Zelensky also took several jabs at Fedorov during the briefing.
“I believe he is going himself — or is being pushed — toward wrong things,” Zelensky said.
Fedorov’s team told AFP on Sunday that he plans to travel to the United States soon. The trip could fuel further speculation over whether he is preparing for a political challenge to Zelensky.
