Holding election in wartime would risk destroying Ukraine, says Zelenskyy

The Guardian — World·August 23, 2026 at 11:50 AM+5

theguardian.com

President sharply criticises proposal, saying ‘elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said holding elections in Ukraine during wartime would risk splitting the country at a time when Russia is amassing ballistic missiles and considering whether to mobilise an extra 300,000 soldiers. The Ukrainian president, responding for the first time to a demand made by the sacked former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sharply criticised an idea that he said was impractical given Russia appeared to have no interest in a ceasefire. Continue reading...

Read source

Holding election in wartime would risk destroying Ukraine, says Zelenskyy

Chat about this story

More coverage of this story

Zelensky rejects wartime elections, saying vote would 'split' Ukraine

Zelensky rejects rival's call for elections, says would be 'huge risk' for Ukraine

Zelenskyy rejects plea for wartime presidential election

President Zelensky says having elections in Ukraine would 'destroy the country'

Wartime elections would 'destroy' Ukraine, says Zelensky

More stories

Zelensky should be asked what he knew about government corruption, sacked minister tells BBC

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Macron to deliver missile interceptors to Kyiv as Putin pulls ambassador from UK

Attack on Ukraine shopping centre that killed 16 is ‘terror by design’, says EU foreign policy chief