In particular, the US administration wants Ukraine to hold elections between the declaration of a ceasefire and the final signing of a peace agreement with Russia.
Points of attention
- The US administration under Trump proposed holding elections in Ukraine during the ceasefire period as part of peace negotiations with Russia.
- The proposal aims to identify a new leader for Ukraine to participate in peace talks post-election, but faces challenges due to constitutional restrictions and fears of Russian interference.
- Former US officials express doubts about reaching a peace agreement in the near future or holding elections in 2025, raising concerns about the feasibility of the plan.
- Putin's alleged use of election issues in Ukraine as a pretext to disrupt negotiations adds complexity to the situation, potentially impacting the peace process.
- The timing of potential elections in Ukraine, considering the end of Zelensky's term and constitutional limitations, adds uncertainty to the prospects of implementing the proposed plan.
Trump talked about the elections in Ukraine
The new US presidential administration wants Ukraine to hold elections immediately after the cessation of active hostilities.
This was stated by Trump's special representative for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, in an interview with Reuters.
Most democracies hold elections during times of war. I think that's important. I think that's good for democracy. That's the beauty of a strong democracy, you potentially have more than one person.
Keith Kellogg
Trump's Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia
Trump's peace plan is still in the works and no policy decisions have been made, but Kellogg and other White House officials have discussed in recent days how to push Ukraine to agree to elections as part of an initial ceasefire with Russia, unnamed informed sources told Reuters.
Two people familiar with the discussions in the Trump administration said the White House is also discussing whether to insist on an initial ceasefire before trying to reach a more permanent agreement. If a presidential election were held in Ukraine, the winner could be responsible for negotiating a long-term pact with Moscow, they said.
A senior "advisor" in Kyiv and a Ukrainian government source said the Trump administration has not yet formally demanded that Ukraine hold presidential elections by the end of the year.
However, according to sources in Washington, Ukrainians have admitted to their American partners that they fear Russian interference in the Ukrainian elections if they are held at such an unstable moment.
However, a source in the Ukrainian government stated that Putin is using the issue of the elections in Ukraine as a false pretext to disrupt future negotiations.
(He) is setting a trap by claiming that if elections are not held in Ukraine, he can later ignore any agreements.
Some former US officials say they are skeptical that a peace deal can be reached in the coming months or that elections will be held in 2025.
Election issues in Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky's five-year presidential term ended in the spring of 2024. The term of the current Verkhovna Rada ended six months earlier.
However, the Ukrainian Constitution explicitly excludes the possibility of holding parliamentary elections during martial law. In addition, presidential elections during martial law are also prohibited by law.
Recently, illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is in his fifth term as president of the Russian Federation, despite the constitutional limit of two terms, questioned the legitimacy of Volodymyr Zelensky as president of Ukraine. In particular, the Kremlin boss believes that the Ukrainian leader allegedly does not have the authority to sign a peace agreement.
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