At the Kyiv Security Forum, held to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, commented on the discussion regarding holding elections during wartime. The statement was made in response to a journalist's question, set against the backdrop of a recent video address by former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who called for finding a voting mechanism for all Ukrainians even under combat conditions.
Working group and special draft law
According to Stefanchuk, a working group has been operating in the Ukrainian parliament for about a year, developing a special law regulating the order of holding elections under exceptional circumstances. Thus, legislative preparation for a possible vote is being conducted systematically; however, as the Speaker emphasized, the mere existence of a draft law does not mean readiness to hold elections right now.
Speaker's position: impossibility and inexpediency
Responding to questions about specific deadlines and the feasibility of holding a vote, Stefanchuk noted that the situation is "understood by everyone, especially in recent nights." He stated directly that holding elections in Ukraine under the legal regime of martial law is "completely impossible, inexpedient, and irresponsible." At the same time, the Speaker assured that "only when appropriate conditions exist will elections in Ukraine definitely be held".
Fedorov's call and politicians' reaction
The initiator of the new wave of discussion was Mykhailo Fedorov's appeal, in which he called for holding elections in Ukraine and finding a mechanism that would allow all Ukrainians to vote, including those in the combat zone or abroad. The proposal sparked a sharp political debate: in the Office of the President, such plans against the backdrop of ongoing Russian attacks were called unrealistic.
Contradictory data
Two noticeably different positions have formed in the public sphere. On the one hand, Mykhailo Fedorov and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy advocate laying the groundwork for holding elections during the war: Zelenskyy stated his readiness to support voting under martial law, provided that necessary security is ensured and corresponding legislative changes are adopted. On the other hand, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Stefanchuk and representatives of the Office of the President point to the complete impossibility and inexpediency of holding elections right now, citing security threats and the martial law regime. Thus, the sides differ not in the fact of preparing the law, but in the assessment of current readiness and the expediency of actual voting.
Conclusion: the law is being prepared, voting is postponed
The totality of statements allows us to conclude that the parliamentary working group continues to work on a special law on elections during wartime; however, none of the key figures — neither the Speaker of the Rada nor the Office of the President — confirm the possibility of holding a vote in the near future. The key condition for all sides remains ensuring security, without which, according to Stefanchuk, elections cannot take place.
