Stories
Zelenskyy Offers Ukraine Elections Under a 60-Day Ceasefire Deal
- •Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that national elections could be held if Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to a 60-day total ceasefire.
- •The proposal comes in response to comments from US President Donald Trump calling for a leadership change in Kyiv and criticizing Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries.
- •Zelenskyy emphasized that the choice of Ukraine's leadership belongs strictly to its citizens rather than external figures.
- •Martial law currently prohibits national elections in Ukraine during the full-scale Russian invasion, creating significant legal and logistical hurdles for a wartime vote.
Key Questions Answered
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine could hold national elections if Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to a total 60-day ceasefire. He noted that a cessation of hostilities is a necessary condition to organise the vote, though a truce would still leave legal and practical wartime questions unresolved.
US President Donald Trump criticized Ukraine's continued attacks on Russian oil refineries and suggested the country needed a different president to reach a settlement with Moscow. Trump argued that Zelenskyy had missed opportunities to negotiate an agreement with Putin amid pressure over rising fuel prices in the US.
Zelenskyy signalled that Kyiv is willing to halt its attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow reciprocates by stopping strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. This proposed arrangement makes the suspension of attacks conditional on reciprocal action by both sides rather than a unilateral halt by Ukraine.
