President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy Photo: Press service of the President of Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainians oppose holding elections in the midst of war, as the end of martial law could jeopardise the functioning of the army.
He said this in an interview with ITV News, stressing that voting without the military would be unfair.
“People are against elections during the war. To hold elections, martial law must be lifted, which means we may lose our army. This is impossible,” Zelensky said.
Security guarantees and end of the war
The Head of State emphasised that the end of the war in 2024 was realistic, as the necessary conditions existed for that.
However, a key factor in achieving sustainable peace is security guarantees that will prevent the reoccupation of Ukrainian territories.
“It is important not just to stop the war, but to ensure that it does not happen again. We need mechanisms that will make new aggression impossible,” Zelenskyy stressed.
Negotiations with Putin: possible, but with guarantees
Zelenskyy also addressed the issue of possible talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to him, he is ready for any format, but only if Ukraine has clear guarantees of support from the US and Europe.
“If I am confident that the US and Europe will stay with us and prevent a new invasion, then we can consider any formats. But without this, no,” the president said.
Zelenskyy’s statement once again emphasises that Ukraine is defending its interests and the safety of its citizens, refusing to accept compromises that could put the country at risk of new aggression.
