Wartime election would ‘destroy’ Ukraine, Zelenskiy says

World electionsukraineVolodymyr Zelenskiy Wartime election would ‘destroy’ Ukraine, Zelenskiy says Zelenskiy Says Territorial Disputes Will Dominate U.s. Brokered Peace Talks Relevant News Wartime election would ‘destroy’ Ukraine, Zelenskiy says 23 August 2026 Woman detained for three days over husband’s killing in occupied Nicosia 23 August 2026 Man arrested at Larnaca airport over €6,800 online banking fraud case 23 August 2026 newsroom 23 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Holding a wartime election in Ukraine while active fighting with Russia continues would “destroy” the country by splitting Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. His comments, released to reporters on Sunday, were Zelenskiy’s first on the subject since ousted former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a wartime poll in a bombshell address last week. Fedorov’s surprise dismissal last month sparked widespread protests, but supporters calling for his reinstatement later baulked at his call for an election – the first such demand by a major Ukrainian political figure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. “I believe that if we want to destroy the country, then we can move towards elections during this kind of war,” Zelenskiy said. Elections in war are prohibited by Ukrainian law. Analysts also say security concerns and the millions of Ukrainians abroad, under Russian occupation or fighting at the front mean it would be too difficult to hold an election. ELECTIONS WOULD SPLIT UKRAINE, PRESIDENT SAYS Zelenskiy’s approval rating has remained generally stable at about 60%, but pollsters have said that while Ukrainians want fresh faces in politics, many have little appetite for voting now. An August 5 poll by the ​Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 57% of Ukrainians want elections only after fighting ends. Echoing his previous comments on the matter, Zelenskiy said a wartime election might be possible if Kyiv’s partners could guarantee security, but that no one has proposed such a plan. “Elections right now are a tsunami for the state, which will split Ukraine,” he said. “That’s why my strategy is to steer the country toward an ending of the war and to preserve an independent and sovereign state.” Fedorov, a longtime Zelenskiy ally who has been seen as a top political challenger, did not explicitly say whether he would stand in any future election. (Reuters) Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Woman detained for three days over husband’s killing in occupied Nicosia Man arrested at Larnaca airport over €6,800 online banking fraud case Man reports wife’s arrest at Ayios Dometios crossing in occupied areas Pernera jet ski crash puts 18 years of Cyprus sea accidents under scrutiny Missing 16-year-old found safe in Avakas Gorge after night search Fire from charging phone causes extensive damage to child’s bedroom in Deryneia Two vehicles set on fire outside woman’s home in Limassol Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.