Zelenskyy appeals to the US on elections: Ensure security
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Illustrative photo: SHAWN THEW/EPA)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared his readiness to hold elections, calling on the United States to provide appropriate security conditions. He said this in response to the latest statement by his American counterpart Donald Trump, the head of state said during a conversation with the media.

He recalled that there are two aspects to holding elections: security ("How can [voting] be conducted? How can it be done under attack, under rocket fire? Regarding our military, how will they vote?") and the legislative basis for the legitimacy of this process.

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"And as the US president and our partners are raising this issue today, I will answer very briefly. Look, I am ready for the elections. Moreover, I am asking now – and I say this openly – for the United States to help me. We can do it together with our European colleagues. [I ask] to provide security for the elections," the president said.

According to Zelenskyy, if this is done, Ukraine will be ready to hold elections in the next 60-90 days: "I personally have the will and readiness to do so."

He also addressed the MPs of his faction "Servant of the People" and parliamentarians in general with a request to prepare proposals on the possibility of changing the legislation to hold elections during martial law.

"[So that they] i will be in Ukraine tomorrow... I expect proposals from our partners, I expect proposals from our MPs and I am ready to go to the polls," the Head of State emphasized.

Zelenskyy also said that he did not discuss the election issue during his talks with partners.

"The issue of Ukraine's elections, I think, depends primarily on our people. And this is a matter for the people of Ukraine, not the people of other countries. With all due respect to our partners. I will say frankly that I am ready for the elections. [...] I have heard such hints that we are clinging to power, or I personally to the presidency, and that is why the war is not ending. To be honest... this is a completely inadequate story," the politician said.

  • Earlier, Trump said in an interview with told Politico that it was time to hold elections in Ukraine, as there hadn't been any in "a very long time."

  • The US president also suggested that Zelenskyy could win the vote.