- Ukraine has had democratically elected governments and presidents since its establishment of independence in 1991.
- Since independence, there have been seven presidential elections. Since 1994, following the adoption of Ukraine’s current Constitution, there has been a presidential election every five years. At each of those elections, Ukraine has elected a different person as president – except for 1999, when incumbent Leonid Kuchma won a second term. (By contrast, Russia has been ruled by one individual since 1999.)
- At the last election in 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was elected with 75% of the popular vote. The margin of victory was the highest in Ukraine’s history. Turn-out in the election was approximately 62%. (By contrast, Donald Trump was elected in 2024 by 49.8% of the popular vote in the US; approximately 63% of eligible voters participated.)
- There is no identifiable source or reference for the erroneous claim that President Zelensky’s popularity is 4%.
- At present, after three years of full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation and the death of some 45,000 Ukrainian service personnel, the latest independent opinion polls by the Identity and Borders in Flux survey project show President Zelensky has a 63% approval rating.
- On Feb. 24, 2022, following the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, martial law was proclaimed in Ukraine in line with provisions in Ukraine’s Constitution. The status of martial law is reviewed every 90 days by Ukraine’s democratically elected parliament. Elections do not take place under martial law.
- It is not possible to hold adequate elections for other reasons. Some 20% of Ukrainian territory is currently occupied by the Russian Federation; Ukrainian citizens in those territories would not be able to participate in an election. Due to Russian aggression, more than 5 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee Ukraine and are currently residing outside its borders. Millions have also been internally displaced and do not currently live where they are registered to vote.
- Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has sat continuously during the full-scale invasion and continued to consider reforms and pass legislation.
- Leading figures of political opposition in Ukraine, including former President Petro Poroshenko, have consistently supported martial law and the deferral of elections.
- In 2023, the European Commission found that Ukraine’s martial law status is temporary and proportional to the war-torn situation.
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The Russian delegation brought a collective 76 years of high-level government service to the table in Riyadh compared to that of the US representatives whose experience was measured in weeks.
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