Zelenskyy Rejects Calls for Wartime Elections Warning of National Division
17 sources across 12 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state
Who reported this
- The Guardian
- BBC News
- Financial Times
- Reuters
- G1
- CNN Brasil
- Folha de S.Paulo
- The Daily Star
- Politico Europe
- La Tercera
- France 24
- Deutsche Welle
- ANSA
- Aftenposten
- Al Jazeera
- Business Day
- Kyiv Independent
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that holding elections while the war with Russia continues would be a huge risk and a tsunami for the state that would split Ukraine. In a briefing with journalists on Saturday, Zelenskyy argued that moving toward elections during the current conflict could destroy the country. He emphasized that his primary strategy is to lead the nation to the end of the war and preserve an independent and sovereign state.
The debate follows a public demand for a wartime vote by former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov, who was dismissed from his post in July, released a video claiming that Ukraine faces a systemic crisis of governance and that democracy should not be held hostage by Russia. He also suggested that Zelenskyy should be questioned regarding his awareness of corruption within his inner circle, specifically citing a recent money laundering investigation involving a presidential deputy chief of staff and a member of parliament.
Zelenskyy responded by stating that elections are currently prohibited by Ukrainian law under martial law. He noted that for a vote to be safe, legitimate, and democratic, it would require the participation of soldiers on the front lines, millions of refugees abroad, and residents of occupied territories, all while ensuring protection from Russian strikes. He added that no international partners have proposed a concrete plan to guarantee these conditions.
Regarding Fedorov's dismissal, Zelenskyy revealed that a serious conflict had developed between the former minister and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi over the boundaries between the Defense Ministry and military command. Zelenskyy claimed Fedorov had attempted to reorganize the military structure into a Ministry of War, a proposal the president had explicitly rejected. While Zelenskyy expressed a positive personal attitude toward Fedorov, he suggested the former minister is being pushed toward the wrong things.
Public opinion remains divided but largely cautious. A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicated that only 15 percent of Ukrainians believe elections should occur before the end of the war, while 57 percent want them only after fighting ends. Fedorov's dismissal had previously sparked widespread protests in several cities, though some of his supporters have since criticized his call for an immediate election.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets highlighted the risk of social division and the potential for Russian disinformation to influence a wartime election.
- Centre
- These outlets focused on the logistical impossibilities of the vote and the specific details of the conflict between Zelenskyy and Fedorov.
- Centre-right
- These outlets emphasized the lack of a concrete plan from Fedorov and the general public's lack of appetite for voting during the conflict.
Sources
- Centre ANSA: Zelensky: 'A peace plan with USA and EU, provides for truce, free zone and withdrawal of troops'
- Centre-right Aftenposten: Warns against holding elections in the middle of the war: – A huge risk
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: Zelenskyy says wartime elections could ‘destroy’ Ukraine
- Centre BBC News: Zelensky should be asked what he knew about government corruption, sacked minister tells BBC
- Centre-right Business Day: Zelensky warns wartime election could ‘destroy’ Ukraine by splitting country
- Centre CNN Brasil: Elections during war would "destroy" Ukraine, says Zelensky
- Centre Deutsche Welle: Ukraine: Zelenskyy rejects wartime elections
- Centre Deutsche Welle: Ukraine: Could ex-defense minister challenge Zelenskyy?
- Centre Financial Times: Zelenskyy rejects election call from fired defence minister
- Centre Folha de S.Paulo: Zelensky says elections during war would 'divide Ukraine'
- Centre France 24: Ukraine : des opposants politiques demandent des élections, Zelensky les rejette
- Centre-left G1: Zelensky says elections in times of war would divide Ukraine and be a 'tsunami' for the country
- Centre Kyiv Independent: Elections now would 'destroy Ukraine,' Zelensky says, revealing new details on disagreements with Fedorov
- Centre-right La Tercera: Zelensky rules out calling elections while the war with Russia continues: "They would be a tsunami for the country"
- Centre Politico Europe: Zelenskyy: Elections would ‘tear Ukraine apart’
- Centre Reuters: Wartime election would 'destroy' Ukraine, Zelenskiy says - Reuters
- Centre The Daily Star: Wartime election would ‘destroy’ Ukraine, Zelenskiy says
- Centre-left The Guardian: Holding election in wartime would risk destroying Ukraine, says Zelenskyy
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.