Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly stated on Sunday (August 23) that holding wartime elections in Ukraine amid the intense battle against Russian invasion is too risky and could potentially “destroy” the country by further dividing its people. This comes after the former Minister of Defense, who was dismissed by Zelensky, called for organizing election voting.
Currently, Ukraine has suspended all elections under martial law, a measure that has garnered wide support from the domestic population as the country is fighting back against Russian military actions.
Zelensky was elected as the leader of Ukraine in 2019. During a media briefing on Sunday, he bluntly expressed, “I believe that in such a war, elections themselves are a huge risk. The current elections are like a tsunami for the country, it will divide Ukraine.”
He further stated, “If we want to destroy this country, we could very well move towards elections during such a war.”
Prior to this, Zelensky dismissed the popular Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, a key figure in Ukraine’s drone tactics and a strong advocate for military reform with high standing in the public eye.
Before being dismissed, Fedorov fiercely criticized the military leadership and pressured Zelensky to dismiss the Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief. Following his dismissal, thousands of people took to the streets demanding his reinstatement.
A few days ago, the dismissed Fedorov suddenly called for finding ways to organize elections during wartime. Although he did not explicitly announce his candidacy for the presidency, this move has even made some of his political allies who previously supported him hesitate and keep their distance.
Fedorov’s team confirmed to a news agency that he plans to visit the United States soon, a trip that is expected to further fuel speculation about whether he is positioning himself as a competitor to Zelensky.
Experts and analysts have pointed out that holding elections during a war faces many practical obstacles, including how frontline soldiers, the millions of Ukrainian refugees abroad, and people in Russian-occupied areas would cast their votes, while also dealing with the risks of possible cyber interference and physical attacks by the Russian military.
Public opinion polls show that the Ukrainian public lacks interest in voting at this stage. According to Reuters, Zelensky’s overall approval rating remains stable at around 60%. A survey released by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on August 5 further revealed that 57% of Ukrainians believe that elections should only be held after the hostile actions are completely over.
Zelensky reiterated that if Western partners can ensure 100% security, there may be room for discussing wartime elections, but currently, there are no concrete viable solutions. He emphasized, “My strategy is to guide the country towards ending the war and maintaining an independent and sovereign state.”
Ukraine is expected to host a meeting with European allies on Monday to continue discussions on how to pressure Russia to end the invasion.