US Push for Ukraine Elections Deemed Unrealistic in Kyiv

The White House proposal to hold elections in Ukraine by the end of the year, contingent on a ceasefire, is a “failed” plan unless Washington takes further steps toward achieving sustainable peace, said Dmytro Lytvyn, communications adviser to the Ukrainian president.

“Moscow keeps increasing missile and ammunition production, finding new ways to bypass sanctions, and making money from oil. And it’s clear that all these weapons are not being built to respect democratic neighbors,” Lytvyn said.

He pointed to US President Donald Trump’s past comments about pressuring Putin and called on the US to come up with a real plan to end the war.

Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, told Reuters in an interview that elections “need to be done,” especially if Kyiv can agree to a ceasefire with Russia in the coming months.

“Most democratic nations have elections in their time of war. I think it is important they do so,” Kellogg said. “I think it is good for democracy. That’s the beauty of a solid democracy, you have more than one person potentially running.”

Trump and Kellogg have both said earlier they are working on a plan to broker a deal in the first several months of the new administration to end Ukraine’s war with Russia but have offered few details about their strategy.

Other Topics of Interest

Russia Advanced 430 Square km in Ukraine in January: AFP Analysis

This marks a slight slowdown compared to previous months, after a record advance of 725 square kilometres in November and 476 square kilometres in December.

Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that his country could hold peace talks with Ukraine, but ruled out speaking directly with President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him “illegitimate” because his presidential term has expired.

Zelensky has in turn said that the Russian leader is “afraid” of negotiations.

Ukraine has not held elections since the outbreak of war and ensuing institution of martial law, which Kellogg said Sunday was permitted under the Ukrainian constitution.

Meanwhile, sources cited by RBC Ukraine media outlet, say Trump’s team wants Ukraine to elect a new leader to negotiate with Putin.

Were it not for the war, Ukraine was supposed to have elections in 2024, with Zelensky’s term officially meant to end in May last year. The Ukrainian constitution bans elections during martial law, which has been extended every six months by parliament at Zelensky’s request.

Western allies, including the US, hold that Ukraine should have elections if fighting stops and martial law ends. Zelensky has said he’s open to this – but only if there’s a truce and security guarantees from the West.