"I hear it for the first time". Zelenskyy denies announcing elections and referendum on February 24
Illustrative photo: Depositphotos

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied information about plans to announce elections and a referendum in Ukraine on February 24. The head of state said this during a conversation with journalists.

Zelenskyy was asked to comment the publication of the Financial Times that he is allegedly going to announce the date of the presidential election and the referendum on territorial integrity on the 24th.

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"This is the first time I've heard. I heard it for the first time, probably, from the FT, and now I'm hearing it for the second time from you. Secondly, and I have said this many times, about the elections – we come to the elections when there are all relevant security guarantees. Thirdly, I have always said that the issue of elections is raised by certain partners. Ukraine has never raised the issue itself, but we are certainly ready for the elections," he said.

The president noted that voting is "very easy to do" – it requires a ceasefire.

"So it is a security issue", he emphasized.

Zelenskyy also said that the United States was not threatening Ukraine with withdrawal of its security guarantees and was not linking them to the elections.

In addition, the head of state said: "Our delegation knows my position – it is clear, they have conveyed it [to the United States]. We are ready to work with any timetable that our American colleagues will offer. But if we raise the issue of a referendum [...] there must be an understanding of a ceasefire for this, because a referendum is structured like an election, meaning that security is needed. It's the same when it comes to elections."

The president also said that no elections could be announced on February 24, the anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion.

  • In December 2025, Zelenskyy said that the issue of creating a free economic zone in Donbas, which was proposed by the United States, was off the table, will be decided in a referendum.
  • On February 10, the head of state noted that the Ukrainian will need to approve the US peace proposal either in a parliamentary vote or in a national referendum.