Zelensky warns of a "tsunami" in Ukraine: "They will destroy the country"
The President of Ukraine rejected the call to hold elections during the war and warned of internal division. The remarks come after former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov called for returning the country to a democratic path.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky firmly rejected today, Sunday, the possibility of holding elections in the country as long as the war against Russia continues, and warned that an election campaign under current conditions could split Ukrainian society and even endanger the continued existence of the state. His remarks follow the call by former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov to hold a discussion on the possibility of returning Ukraine to an electoral path even during the war.
"I think that in a war like this, elections are a huge risk. Elections now are a tsunami for the country that will split Ukraine," said Volodymyr Zelensky in a conversation with journalists. He added: "If we want to destroy the country, then we can move towards elections during the war."
According to him, without real security guarantees from Kyiv's allies, it is impossible to ensure a safe and democratic election process.
The debate arose after Mikhail Fedorov, who was fired from the position of Minister of Defense last month following disagreements with the military and presidential leadership, argued that "democracy cannot be a hostage of Russia." He called for formulating a legal and safe mechanism that would allow for the resumption of a democratic process even if the war continues for a long time. His dismissal sparked unusual protests in Ukraine, however, according to reports, his call for elections received limited support even among his supporters.
Ukraine has been under martial law since the Russian invasion in February 2022, and the country's law does not allow for elections during this period. Beyond the legal limitation, Kyiv faces a series of practical problems: millions of citizens who have been displaced from their homes or are outside the country, territories that are under Russian occupation, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers serving on the front.
Volodymyr Zelensky, whose original term was supposed to end in 2024, has argued throughout the war that elections could only be held when it is possible to guarantee a free and safe vote for all citizens of the country. According to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 57 percent of Ukrainians prefer that elections be held only after the end of the war. The support rate for Volodymyr Zelensky himself remains around 60 percent.
The confrontation with Mikhail Fedorov also marks a resurgence of internal politics in Ukraine, after more than four years in which the war has largely reduced public political struggles. From the perspective of Volodymyr Zelensky, maintaining national unity remains a key condition for continuing the war: according to him, his strategy is to end the fighting while maintaining the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine.
