A high-ranking Ukrainian official confirmed that holding presidential elections in the country, which has been engaged in a full-scale war with Russia since February 2022, is directly linked to the security situation and the stabilization of conditions on the ground. In a statement to AFP, the official explained that Kyiv rejects the idea of holding this democratic process hastily, emphasizing that the top priority is ensuring the safety of citizens and their ability to participate in a free and fair election, something impossible under the ongoing shelling and military operations.
The official added, “Elections should be held as soon as possible, but not before the security situation allows.” He noted that there are currently no indications that Russia is interested in ending the war, making it premature to discuss a specific election date.
Constitutional context and state of war
This controversy comes at a time when Ukraine was supposed to hold presidential elections in March 2024, at the end of President Volodymyr Zelensky's official five-year term. However, the Ukrainian constitution explicitly prohibits holding any elections—presidential, parliamentary, or local—while martial law is in effect. Martial law was imposed nationwide immediately after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion and is regularly extended by the Ukrainian parliament to address security and military challenges.
Enormous logistical and security challenges
Ukraine faces enormous logistical obstacles to holding credible elections. There are approximately 6.5 million registered Ukrainian refugees abroad, in addition to millions of internally displaced persons. Registering these voters and ensuring their access to polling stations is a near-impossible challenge. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of soldiers are fighting on fronts stretching over a thousand kilometers, making their participation in the vote extremely complicated. Most importantly, the security threat remains, as Russian strikes could target polling stations and election rallies, endangering civilian lives and undermining the entire democratic process.
International importance and influence
Internationally, Western capitals, particularly Washington, are closely monitoring this situation. While these countries provide military and financial support to Ukraine, they emphasize the importance of Kyiv's commitment to the democratic process. Previous reports, such as those published by the Financial Times, have indicated US pressure to consider holding elections. Meanwhile, Russia is exploiting this situation in its media campaign, attempting to undermine the legitimacy of President Zelensky after the expiration of his official term. However, the consensus within Ukraine and among its key allies remains in favor of postponing the elections until a decisive victory is achieved or a peace agreement is reached that guarantees the country's security and sovereignty.
