Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he does not seek to lead his country during peacetime once Russia’s war is over.
“My goal is to finish the war,” Zelensky told Axios in a new interview, saying Ukraine would hold presidential elections when the Russian invasion ends. Only part of Zelensky’s interview was published. The rest is due for release on Friday, Axios said.
In a state of martial law due to the Russian invasion, Ukraine cannot hold elections, a fact that Zelensky’s opponents have used to criticize his leadership and question his mandate—including Moscow.
A peace settlement that would end Russia’s war is stuck on two major points: territorial concessions and the future architecture of Ukraine’s security.
Russia demands that Ukraine recognize its control of the territory seized during its invasion. It also says it will not agree to anything that deepens NATO’s involvement in Ukraine, such as peacekeeping troops from allies such as France and the U.K.
Zelensky said that the difficult security situation and Ukraine’s constitution, which prohibits elections during war, pose challenges but that a ballot was still possible.
“During the ceasefire, I think security can give the possibility to have elections,” he told Axios.
If Zelensky endorsed a bill for elections, this would likely pass given his party’s large majority in parliament.
He was elected in a landslide in 2019 and if it had not been for Russia’s invasion his five-year term would have ended in May 2024. Zelensky’s popularity has fluctuated from the highs of over 90 percent at the start of the war to still well above 60 percent.
Zelensky also told “The Axios Show” that if Russia did not end the war, Russian officials should ensure they know where the nearest bomb shelter is.
The Ukrainian president reportedly said he had Donald Trump’s backing to hit Russian targets like energy infrastructure and drone factories in tit for tat strikes. He also said he told Trump of his desire for an additional weapon system to speed up the end of the war.
Despite his popularity as a war-time leader, Zelensky faced the first major protests in Ukraine in July after his allies in parliament tried to weaken the country’s independent anti-corruption agencies, before the move was reversed.
Rumors of an election go back months, with David Arakhamia, head of Ukraine’s Servant of the People party, denying reports of a meeting in the President’s Office about preparations for a ballot.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
