Zelensky says wartime voting would fracture Ukraine amid ongoing war

President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking on Aug 23, rejected proposals to hold elections amid the war with Russia, saying such a move would be a dangerous tsunami that could divide Ukraine. He emphasized that martial law currently bars voting and that the public largely backs this suspension while the country focuses on defense. Zelensky's remarks came after former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, recently dismissed, urged authorities to find a way to organise a vote, though he offered no concrete roadmap.

Experts highlighted logistical hurdles, including how soldiers, refugees and residents of occupied areas could cast ballots, as well as the threat of Russian disinformation. A poll by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology indicated only 15 percent of Ukrainians support elections before hostilities end. Zelensky also criticized Fedorov, suggesting he was being pushed toward misguided actions, and warned against disrespecting the military during this crisis.