--- title: "Stefanchuk: Elections in Ukraine during martial law are currently impossible and inexpedient" description: "The head of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, stated that holding elections in Ukraine under martial law is currently impossible and inexpedient, despite Mykhailo Fedorov's call." date: 2026-08-21T16:34:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/stefanchuk-elections-during-war-impossible tags: [ukraine-elections, stefanchuk, fedorov, military-law, verkhovna-rada, kyiv-security-forum] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Stefanchuk: Elections in Ukraine during martial law are currently impossible and inexpedient ![Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk speaking about the impossibility of holding elections in Ukraine during martial law](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/22/stefanchuk-vybory-vo-vremya-voyny/stefanchuk-vybory-vo-vremya-voyny-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Stefanchuk stated that elections during martial law are currently impossible, inexpedient, and irresponsible. - A working group in the Verkhovna Rada has been working for about a year to prepare a special law on elections during wartime. - Mykhailo Fedorov called for finding a voting mechanism for all Ukrainians, while Zelenskyy stated readiness to support elections provided security is ensured. 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. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Stefanchuk puts a full stop to the election question after Fedorov's appeal](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/stefanchuk-postaviv-krapku-pitanni-viboriv-1787329442.html) - Первичный источник: заявление Стефанчука на Киевском форуме безопасности, цитаты о рабочей группе и невозможности выборов во время военного положения. - [Elections banned: Stefanchuk names the condition without which voting will not take place](https://ukraina.ru/20260821/vybory-pod-zapretom-stefanchuk-nazval-uslovie-bez-kotorogo-golosovanie-ne-sostoitsya-1082695082.html) - Подтверждает условие безопасности как необходимое для проведения выборов. - [The Rada responds to Fedorov's appeal to hold elections before the end of the war](https://kp.ua/politics/a734932-v-rade-otvetili-na-prizyv-fedorova-provesti-vybory-do-zavershenija-vojny-) - Подтверждает контекст призыва Федорова и реакцию Рады. - [The Rada supported the creation of the Ukrainian National Pantheon](https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/07/01/8041912/) - Подтверждено по источнику pravda.com.ua ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Can elections be held in Ukraine right now? **A:** No. According to Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, holding elections under martial law is currently completely impossible, inexpedient, and irresponsible. ### Q: Is a law on elections during wartime being prepared? **A:** Yes. A working group has been operating in parliament for about a year, developing a special law on the order of holding elections under exceptional circumstances. ### Q: What is the position of Mykhailo Fedorov and Volodymyr Zelenskyy? **A:** Fedorov called for finding a voting mechanism for all Ukrainians under wartime conditions, while Zelenskyy stated his readiness to support elections during martial law, provided security is ensured and legislative changes are adopted.