🗳️ Since the war with Russia began on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been under martial law — renewed every 90 days and last extended on December 9, 2025 — which explicitly bans nationwide elections.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's five-year term officially ended in May 2024, but a constitutional clause keeps him and all elected officials in office until martial law is lifted and new votes can be organized.
Zelenskyy dismisses claims he’s holding onto power: “I’ve heard it said that we or I personally are holding on to the president’s chair. Frankly, this is a completely absurd story.” He argues elections now would divide society when unity is most needed and has proposed legal tweaks for secure voting after a ceasefire and with international guarantees. 🤝
Not everyone agrees. In a December 10, 2025 interview, former U.S. President Donald Trump said, “I think it's an important time to hold elections, they are using war as an excuse…, they talk about a democracy but it gets to a point where it's no longer a democracy.” His words echo Russian state media, but European leaders like the UK’s Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Germany’s Friedrich Merz urged Trump to focus on peace talks instead of forcing an election now.
💬 Recent surveys show growing war fatigue but support for delay: a September 2025 Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll found 63% of Ukrainians oppose immediate elections, even after a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy’s approval ratings have dipped to about 20–25% in November–December, according to Info Sapiens and SOCIS polls, down from early in the war. In first-round scenarios, he now runs neck and neck with former commander in chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, while other opposition figures lag behind.
Practical hurdles add to the challenge: millions are displaced abroad or in occupied areas, soldiers on the front can't safely vote, and regular missile and drone strikes make large gatherings impossible. Zelenskyy believes foreign aid and security guarantees could enable a vote soon after a truce. ✌️
For now, Ukraine chooses unity and survival over the ballot box. Until the guns fall silent, most voters seem willing to wait. 🕊️
Reference(s):
EXPLAINER: Why Ukraine postpones elections amid Russian conflict
cgtn.com
