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Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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Ukraine could hold wartime elections if the U.S. and Kyiv’s European allies can ensure security, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president made the comments after President Donald Trump had earlier said that it was time for the country to go to the polls.
Zelensky said that if security can be assured, "Ukraine will be ready to conduct elections in the next 60 to 90 days."
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Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment.
Why It Matters
Zelensky's comments represent a shift in Kyiv's position. Ukrainian officials have previously said elections would be held only after the war ended, although the Ukrainian leader later said they could happen if a ceasefire were in place.
Zelensky’s presidential term officially expired in 2024, but under Ukraine’s constitution elections are not held during martial law, which was declared when Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelensky appears to be reacting to Trump as he tries to balance maintaining American support with Washington’s demands for a peace deal which could pressure Kyiv into surrendering occupied land, a move the Ukrainian leader has rejected.
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What To Know
Zelensky told journalists that elections could take place in the coming months, following Trump’s remarks to Politico that "it’s time" for Ukraine to hold a ballot.
He said that such a move depended on security, legislative issues and the ability of Ukrainian soldiers to vote.
However, any election would require the help of European countries, and the U.S. to ensure security, he said, adding that he had not discussed the matter with Washington.
Ukraine was scheduled to hold a presidential election in March or April 2024. But under martial law that was imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion, presidential, parliamentary, and local elections are banned.
Moscow has repeatedly said that Zelensky was not the legitimate leader of Ukraine and as such could not negotiate any peace deal but this has been seen by critics as aimed at delaying an end to Putin’s aggression.
Just over a fifth (22 percent) of Ukrainians support elections after a ceasefire with security guarantees, while 63 percent believe elections should happen after the war ends, according to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
Zelensky said in September that he may not seek reelection after the war is over. He remains the most popular candidate although only 20.3 percent of Ukrainians would vote for him, according to an Info Sapiens survey.
This was slightly ahead of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.K. and former commander-in-chief.
What People Are Saying
U.S. President Donald Trump, to Politico: "I think it’s an important time to hold an election. They’re using war not to hold an election, but I would think the Ukrainian people would…should have that choice. And maybe Zelensky would win.
"They haven’t had an election in a long time…they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore**."**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: "Together with our European partners, we can ensure the security needed to hold elections. If that happens, Ukraine will be ready to conduct elections in the next 60 to 90 days."
What Happens Next
Zelensky has asked Ukrainian lawmakers to draft legislative proposals that would allow for changes to the election law during martial law, the Kyiv Independent reported, but Kyiv’s immediate priority will be to ensure its demands for peace talks with Russia are met.
Update 12/10/25, 05:10 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with further information.
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