President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that elections in Ukraine are very important, but they can only take place after the end of the hot phase of the war and the lifting of martial law.

Source: Zelenskyy and an interview with UK journalist Piers Morgan

Quote from Zelenskyy: "The elections will take place after the hot phase of the war is over and martial law is lifted. We are defending democracy, and elections are extremely important. But let me be clear: ending martial law now is exactly what Putin wants"

Details: Zelenskyy explained that if martial law is lifted, most of the Ukrainian army will return home, as this is the legal right of these people.

Quote:"But who will defend Ukraine then? Without security guarantees, Russia will invade again," the president is convinced.

Speaking about his legitimacy, Zelenskyy reminded that he was elected by 73% of Ukrainians.

He also stated that he "has always been a supporter of elections". At the same time, the president stressed that during a time of war, elections require constitutional changes and serious legal improvements.

Quote:"The key issue concerns not only legal aspects but also the human factor. How will soldiers in the trenches vote? And what about the millions of Ukrainians in the occupied territories? Do their votes no longer matter? And what about the 8 million Ukrainians who have found themselves abroad because of the war?" Zelenskyy concluded.

Background:

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously said that Ukraine can hold elections this year if the fighting is stopped and strong security guarantees are put in place to deter Russia from renewing its aggression.
• Two former US officials confirmed to Reuters that the US had discussed holding elections in Ukraine in 2023 and 2024 with Ukrainian officials.
• Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, said that the issue of holding elections in Ukraine by the end of 2025 has not been discussed with the US side. However, she stressed that if the administration of US President Donald Trump raises the issue, Ukraine is ready for dialogue.

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