Zelensky: Ukraine ready for elections "tomorrow" but not during war
In a CBS interview, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine could hold elections "tomorrow" but not while active hostilities continue, citing constitutional, electoral-law and security constraints. Separately, he previewed "difficult and unpopular" decisions to close a roughly €23 billion military-spending gap, and opened the door to a mutual halt of energy-infrastructure strikes after a US request.
Key points
- Zelensky told CBS he is ready to hold elections "tomorrow" but said this is impossible during active hostilities due to constitutional, electoral-law and security constraints.
- He questioned how voters on temporarily occupied territories could participate given the presence of Russian soldiers, and noted roughly 9 million Ukrainians are now abroad, compared with about 500,000 who voted from abroad before the full-scale invasion.
- He said Ukraine has repeatedly proposed a ceasefire that could also enable elections, but Russia has rejected it.
- Zelensky called it a mistake for senior figures, including former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, to advocate elections during the war, saying they "want to be in politics."
- He said at least several months of pause in fighting would be needed to prepare for voting, and that peace, not politics, is the priority during war.
- He announced 7 draft laws to finance the budget deficit and warned of "difficult and unpopular" decisions; a €23 billion ($26.5 billion) military-spending gap is part of the shortfall.
- European states agreed late last year to a €90 billion ($104 billion) loan covering Ukraine's military and civilian deficits for 2026–2027.
Why it matters
Zelensky's CBS interview sets out the conditions under which Ukraine could move toward elections: a ceasefire, security guarantees for voters on occupied territory, and a pause in fighting of at least several months. By publicly criticizing senior figures like former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov for pushing wartime voting, he framed the debate as a political distraction from the war effort. At the same time, his warning of "difficult and unpopular" economic decisions tied to a €23 billion military-spending gap, against the backdrop of a €90 billion European loan covering only 2026–2027, signals that the financial costs of the war are now driving domestic policy choices. His openness to a mutual halt of energy-infrastructure strikes, alongside the US request, shows that diplomatic tracks remain active alongside the electoral and economic ones.
What happened
In a CBS interview, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine could hold elections "tomorrow" but that wartime voting is impossible under the Constitution, electoral legislation and the security situation. He raised specific obstacles: children cannot safely attend school, roughly 9 million Ukrainians are abroad (compared with about 500,000 who voted from abroad before the full-scale invasion), and residents of temporarily occupied territories could not vote while Russian soldiers are present. He said at least several months of pause in the fighting would be needed to prepare for voting, and that Ukraine has repeatedly proposed a ceasefire that could serve as both de-escalation and electoral preparation, but that Russia has rejected it. He called it a mistake for senior officials, including former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, to advocate elections during the war, saying they "want to be in politics," and stressed that peace, not politics, is the priority. He also said the war cannot end in a "win-win" because too many people have already died, and that Ukraine is willing to freeze the front line only for an unconditional ceasefire and negotiations. Separately, Zelensky announced 7 draft laws to address the budget deficit, warning of "difficult and unpopular" decisions; a major part of the shortfall is a €23 billion ($26.5 billion) military-spending gap, while a €90 billion ($104 billion) European loan covers deficits for 2026–2027. He also said Ukraine is ready to take reciprocal steps toward de-escalation, including halting energy-infrastructure strikes, after a US request from President Donald Trump, while maintaining that Russian refineries are legitimate targets. He reiterated the position that peace and stopping the war remain the overriding priority.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage centered on Zelensky's domestic political message: his legal and security conditions for elections, his direct criticism of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and other advocates of wartime voting, and the claim that Russia bears responsibility for blocking a ceasefire that could enable elections. Several Ukrainian outlets also highlighted Zelensky's framing of the wartime budget crisis and his appeal for further European financial support.
How international sources describe it
The Qatari outlet Al Jazeera Arabic led with the economic dimension, emphasizing Zelensky's warning of "difficult" measures to close a large budget deficit and the €23 billion military-spending gap. It also stressed the US proposal for a mutual halt of energy-infrastructure strikes and Trump's request to stop attacks on Russian diesel infrastructure, a diplomatic angle that was absent from the Ukrainian-language coverage.
Where reporting differs
Ukrainian sources differ on whether former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is genuinely leaving politics: an anonymous Servant of the People lawmaker claimed he is not, while Fedorov's team denied this.
Background
Ukrainian law does not currently allow elections during wartime, and Zelensky criticized the idea of wartime elections shortly before the CBS interview, saying it would divide the country. Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov recorded a video address in mid-August supporting elections even during the war, and in early September announced a defense-tech venture with Palantir CEO Alex Karp as the first investor. About 9 million Ukrainians are estimated to be abroad, against roughly 500,000 who voted from abroad before the full-scale invasion. European states agreed late last year to a €90 billion loan to cover Ukraine's military and civilian deficits in 2026–2027. US Special Envoy Jared Kushner said at the YES forum in Kyiv on September 12 that ending the war requires "the right formula that works for everyone."