Photo: Press service of the President of Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that elections in the country will be possible only after the war is over and martial law is lifted. He said this in an interview with Piers Morgan on Tuesday, 4 February.
Elections are not possible in times of war
Zelenskyy stressed that under martial law, organising a democratic expression of will is unrealistic, as it jeopardises the rights of millions of Ukrainians.
“There can be no elections during the war. This implies changes in the legislation, the Constitution, as well as the solution of many human difficulties,” the President stressed.
According to him, if elections were held, a significant number of Ukrainians would not be able to vote:
- The military – because of their service at the front.
- Citizens in the temporarily occupied territories – because of the inability to exercise the right to vote.
- Ukrainians abroad – because of logistical and legal difficulties.
Elections will be held after the war is over
The President emphasised that elections are a mandatory process in a democratic country, but the priority now is the security of the state.
“Undoubtedly, after the end of the hot phase of the war, when martial law is lifted, elections will be called. This is necessary because we are defending democracy,” Zelensky said.
Cancellation of martial law is impossible without security guarantees
Zelenskyy also explained that lifting martial law now would mean a loss of the country’s defence capability, as most of the military would return home.
“Who will protect us? What security guarantees does Ukraine have? Why won’t Russia come back to occupy our lands?” he said, stressing that without clear international security guarantees, the lifting of martial law is unacceptable.
Thus, holding elections in Ukraine will only be possible after the war is over, security is ensured and democratic control over the entire territory of the state is restored.
