Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has opposed holding elections amid the ongoing war with Russia, stating that it could lead to national division.
According to AFP and Reuters, during a press conference on the 23rd, Zelensky said, "Holding elections in such a war situation could pose tremendous risks," adding, "If we were to hold elections now, it would create a tsunami that would divide Ukraine."
He further stated, "If we want to destroy the country, we could move toward holding elections during wartime."
Zelensky's remarks are seen as a direct rebuttal to the recent call for elections by former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed last month.
On August 18, Fedorov released a video message urging the need for a "legal, safe, and realistic" plan to restore full democratic procedures despite the ongoing Russian invasion. He asserted, "Democracy should not be held hostage by Russia."
Zelensky, who won the presidential election in May 2019, is currently serving a term that was originally set to expire in May 2024. However, elections have been suspended due to martial law following Russia's invasion in 2022.
Fedorov's call for elections has added political pressure on Zelensky. He was abruptly dismissed last month after successfully leading a war strategy that utilized drones. Since then, protests demanding Fedorov's reinstatement have erupted in Ukraine, reflecting a growing discontent.
There are speculations that Fedorov could emerge as a potential rival to Zelensky. In a recent trust survey conducted by the Sociis Center, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK, ranked first in political trust, while Fedorov came in second. Zelensky ranked sixth.
Meanwhile, during the press conference, Zelensky claimed that Russia appears to be planning to conscript an additional 300,000 troops after its elections in September, with a potential increase of 500,000 troops next year.
Zelensky noted that while Ukraine requested 360 air defense missiles this year, only 264 are expected to be provided. In contrast, he stated that Russia aims to achieve a production capacity of up to 1,300 ballistic missiles annually.
He also emphasized that Ukraine's defense spending in the first half of this year has exceeded expectations, necessitating an additional $27 billion.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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