President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a presidential election in Ukraine while the war with Russia continues, warning that such a vote would 'destroy' the country by splitting Ukrainians. His comments, released to reporters on Sunday, were his first direct response to a petition that had gathered enough signatures to trigger a formal response.
Zelenskyy argued that holding elections under active combat conditions is impossible under Ukrainian law, which prohibits elections during martial law. He also noted that many Ukrainians are fighting on the front lines, living under occupation, or displaced abroad, making a fair and secure vote unfeasible.
The petition, which reportedly gathered over 60,000 signatures, had called for elections to be held despite the ongoing war. However, Zelenskyy emphasized that the priority is to defend the country and that elections can only take place after the war ends and martial law is lifted.
His statement aligns with the position of many Western allies, who have generally supported Ukraine's decision to postpone elections until peace is restored. The next presidential election in Ukraine was originally scheduled for March 2024 but has been postponed due to the war.
