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Holding election in wartime would risk destroying Ukraine, says Zelenskyy

From The Guardian · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that holding elections during wartime would risk dividing the country.
  • He criticized the idea, proposed by a recently dismissed minister, as impractical given Russia's ongoing military actions and lack of interest in a ceasefire.
  • Zelenskyy also provided an update on Russia's ballistic missile capabilities and Ukraine's air defense needs, particularly for the winter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that conducting elections amid the ongoing war would dangerously fracture the nation. Responding to a call for elections by Mykhailo Fedorov, the former defense minister dismissed a month prior, Zelenskyy described the proposal as impractical, especially with Russia reportedly amassing ballistic missiles and considering further troop mobilization.

"I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then during such a war we can move in the selection of elections," Zelenskyy stated to journalists. He elaborated that elections at this time pose significant risks, likening them to a "tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine." His priority, he emphasized, is to end the war and preserve Ukraine's independence.

I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then during such a war we can move in the selection of elections.

— Volodymyr ZelenskyyPresident Zelenskyy's statement on the risks of holding elections during wartime.

Elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy's term officially ended in May 2024, but there was little appetite for elections while the conflict persisted. Fedorov's public call for a contest marked the most significant internal challenge to Zelenskyy's authority since the war began.

Zelenskyy indicated he would support elections if allies established specific conditions for safe, legitimate, and democratic voting. This would necessitate the participation of military personnel, including those in front-line territories and millions of citizens abroad, and require polling to proceed without strikes. He also addressed Russia's missile capabilities, estimating a stockpile of 600-630 high-speed ballistic missiles and a monthly production of over 100. Ukraine faces a shortage of effective interceptors like the US-made Patriot, with Zelenskyy requesting 300 for the winter package and noting an agreement with France for at least one SAMP/T system.

I believe that during such a war, elections in general are big risks. Elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine.

— Volodymyr ZelenskyyPresident Zelenskyy's explanation of why elections would be detrimental to national unity during the ongoing conflict.
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Originally published by The Guardian. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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