Zelensky Rejects Elections During Wartime: Would Divide Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is too dangerous for Ukraine to hold elections while the country is fighting the Russian invasion. He made the remarks after his former defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, called for a vote to be held.

Ukraine has suspended elections under martial law, a move that remains widely supported by the public as the country focuses on fighting the Russian invasion that began in 2022.

“I believe that in a war like this, elections are an enormous risk. Elections now would be like a tsunami for the country that would divide Ukraine,” Zelensky said, as reported by AFP on Sunday (23/8/2026).

“If we want to destroy this country, then we can move towards holding elections in wartime as we are now,” added the 48-year-old, who has served as president since 2019.

He made the comments on Saturday during a briefing with journalists, including from AFP. It was his first such meeting in several months amid a series of political crises.

The latest turmoil came when thousands of people took to the streets after Zelensky dismissed the popular defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov.

Fedorov, who has been removed from his post, had called for finding a way to hold elections, but without offering a clear roadmap, causing even some of his supporters to distance themselves from him.

Experts point to a range of obstacles to holding elections, including how soldiers, millions of Ukrainian refugees, and residents of occupied territories could cast their votes, as well as the threat of disinformation from Russia.