Zelenskyy says Ukraine ready to hold elections if full ceasefire lasts 60 days
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared to hold elections if a full ceasefire is in place for two months. He made the statement on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," responding to US President Donald Trump's call for Ukrainians to "choose a new leader" who could conclude a deal to end the war. Zelenskyy said the choice of leader belongs exclusively to Ukrainians and that he is ready for any outcome they decide.
Key points
- Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to hold elections if a full ceasefire is in place for 60 days.
- He made the statement on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."
- The statement was a response to Trump's call for Ukrainians to "choose a new leader" who could end the war.
- Zelenskyy said holding elections during the war goes beyond Ukrainian law and the Constitution.
- He said elections require security infrastructure to allow people to vote safely.
- Zelenskyy said the choice of leader is up exclusively to Ukrainians and their society.
- He recalled that "Putin wanted to change the president of Ukraine."
Why it matters
By tying elections to a concrete 60-day ceasefire condition, Zelenskyy turned Trump's call for new Ukrainian leadership into a negotiating question rather than a domestic political one, and affirmed that any leadership change is a decision for Ukrainians alone.
What happened
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" that Ukraine is ready to hold elections if a full ceasefire is in place for two months (60 days). He was responding to US President Donald Trump's earlier statement that Ukrainians need to choose a new leader because Zelenskyy allegedly cannot reach a deal to end the war. Zelenskyy said holding elections during the war goes beyond Ukrainian law and the Constitution and that elections require a security infrastructure to allow people to vote. He added that the choice of leader is up exclusively to Ukrainians and Ukrainian society and that he is ready for any choice the Ukrainian people make. Zelenskyy also recalled that "Putin wanted to change the president of Ukraine," and said he had already shared his position on elections with Trump's team.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets frame the response as a rejection of external pressure on the question of Ukraine's leadership, emphasizing that the choice belongs to Ukrainians and recalling that Russia previously sought to change Ukraine's president. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha is cited backing the line that only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide the matter.
Background
Holding elections during an active conflict is restricted by Ukrainian law and the Constitution, and requires security infrastructure to allow citizens to vote safely.