Ukraine defies Trump, rules out presidential elections in 2026 – media
Members of an official working group on elections in Ukraine were expected to submit a draft law to parliament late last month but said key issues still need to be resolved to ensure free and fair elections protected from Russian attacks or interference, Britain's The Times reported.
According to the newspaper, the group plans to continue discussions at least until the end of May. However, it has agreed that Ukraine should begin an election campaign no earlier than six months after adopting the necessary legislation and establishing a ceasefire, effectively making presidential elections this year impossible.
Deputy head of Ukraine's Central Election Commission Serhiy Dubovyk said: "Everyone, including lawmakers, agrees that the active phase of hostilities must stop, a clear line of demarcation must be established, and only then will a six-month period be needed to organize elections. The timeline has already been shifted. There is no doubt that work will continue through April and May, as not all issues have been resolved."
U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy develop a plan for elections as part of any peace agreement with Russia.
Russia has also demanded that Ukraine hold elections. At times, Trump has echoed the Kremlin's position on Zelenskyy's legitimacy, suggesting elections should be held despite the war and referring to him as a "dictator without elections."
The working group is also considering how to ensure voting rights for around 6 million refugees abroad, approximately 3 million Ukrainians living under Russian occupation, and nearly 1 million servicemen, many of whom are on the front line. Elections must also meet international standards so as not to undermine Ukraine's EU accession ambitions.
"There are no precedents for holding such a vote, at least in line with current international standards such as those of the Council of Europe. There are no examples we can rely on," Dubovyk said.
Advisers to the Trump administration have compared the situation to the 1864 U.S. presidential election during the Civil War. Dubovyk said he was surprised they did not fully appreciate the risks Ukrainians face, including airstrikes, cyberattacks and information warfare.
He added that British advice had proven more useful, particularly regarding how Polish citizens vote abroad. Voters must register in advance but can cast ballots not only at embassies or consulates but also in schools or community centers. However, the newspaper notes that not all countries hosting Ukrainian refugees allow such arrangements under their laws.
MP from the opposition Holos party and a member of the working group Tamila Tasheva said: "For example, in the Czech Republic there are legal restrictions under which another country's electoral process can take place only at its consulate, not on the territory of the country itself. Now our Foreign Ministry has to negotiate with such countries to persuade them to change their legislation."
"Many MPs want to hold elections as soon as possible," Tasheva added.
Zelenskyy has gradually lost the ability to pass legislation in parliament. Since the start of the war, 54 MPs have resigned and 11 have died. Of those who left parliament, 28 were from Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party. Tasheva said many remaining MPs are reluctant to support government bills.
"This is a real parliamentary crisis. The core of the majority they had just two months ago has collapsed," she said.
At the heart of the crisis are the pressures that prolonged martial law places on governance. Ukraine is a parliamentary republic, but according to Head of election monitoring NGO Opora Olha Aivazovska, Zelenskyy has been using presidential powers during wartime with limited regard for parliament.
"When the president disregards parliament during martial law, it is bad for the country, because parliament is the central authority. MPs say: "We have a mandate in this country, and there are issues we need to discuss," she said.
As a result, Zelenskyy has had to rely on consensus with opposition parties to pass legislation. Election-related laws are expected to be particularly complex, as opposition parties are cautious about any measures that could give an advantage to the incumbent president, Aivazovska added.