Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with CBS News, outlined the key conditions under which, in his view, elections could be held in the country. In his words, a necessary preliminary step is a ceasefire lasting several months — a period that could be used both to prepare the electoral process and to continue working toward ending the war. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a recording of the conversation.
Why elections during active hostilities are impossible
Zelensky emphasized that organizing voting under conditions of active hostilities is impossible. He pointed to several factors: legislative restrictions in effect during wartime, as well as the safety of the voters themselves, the operation of polling stations, and the electoral process as a whole. The President noted that safe conditions for holding elections do not currently exist, and any attempts to organize them in the midst of hostilities carry serious risks for the state and its citizens.
Nine million voters abroad: a new scale of challenge
A separate and, in the President's assessment, one of the most complex issues is the status of Ukrainians located outside the country. Zelensky estimated their number at approximately 9 million. For comparison, before the full-scale invasion, about 500,000 Ukrainians voted abroad during elections. Thus, the scale of the task has grown more than 18-fold, and organizing voting for such a number of citizens abroad will be a separate systemic challenge for the electoral infrastructure.
The problem of temporarily occupied territories
Another unresolved issue concerns the residents of temporarily occupied territories. Zelensky acknowledged the need to determine whether these citizens will be able to participate in the elections and how voting can be ensured in areas where Russian military forces are present. At the time of the interview, no specific mechanisms for resolving this problem had been announced.
Contradictory data
Ukrainian media outlets (RBC-Ukraine, 24tv, Dialog) unanimously present Zelensky's position as an evolution: he previously categorically opposed holding elections directly during an active war, and now he allows for such a process following a temporary ceasefire. At the same time, a number of Russian state media outlets (in particular, mk.ru) interpret the same statements by Zelensky in the context of a "failure of the victory plan," which is editorial framing not supported by the content of the CBS News interview itself. In the text of the conversation with the American television channel, the President did not use the wording about the "failure" of any plan, limiting himself to outlining the conditions for future elections.
Thus, Kyiv's position remains consistent: elections are possible, but only with a sustained ceasefire, sufficient time for preparation, and the resolution of logistical issues involving millions of voters abroad and in occupied territories.
