Steven Witkoff/Photo: Open Source
Special Representative of the US President Steven Witkoff has said that the Ukrainian authorities have agreed to hold presidential elections. He said this in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson published on Friday, 21 March.
Vitkoff responded to Carlson’s remark that Russia refuses to enter into any agreement with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, considering him illegitimate due to the absence of regular elections:
“Yes, there will be elections. They agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine”.
At the same time, the special envoy did not specify which Ukrainian officials had given such consent and when the vote might take place. Official Kyiv has not yet commented on these words.
“Crimea and Donbas want to be in Russia” – Vitkoff on the essence of the conflict
Witkoff also said that the key issue in Russia’s war against Ukraine is the status of the occupied territories, in particular Donbas and Crimea.
“The biggest issue of this conflict is the so-called four regions. Donbas, Crimea, Luhansk and two more. They are Russian-speaking. Referendums were held there, and the overwhelming majority voted to join Russia. I think this is the main issue. When it is resolved, very constructive negotiations will begin,” he said.
According to him, Russia actually controls these territories, but Ukrainian legislation prohibits their recognition.
“The question is whether the world will recognise them as part of Russia. And whether Zelenskyy will be able to survive politically if he does. This is the central problem of the conflict,” Vitkoff added.
He also said that, according to his information, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, “have actually admitted that Ukraine will not become a NATO member”.
This is not the first time the US has called for elections in Ukraine
The idea of the need for elections in Ukraine is not new to Washington. As early as 1 February, Reuters quoted another US special envoy, Keith Kellogg, as calling for elections to be held by the end of the year. At the time, Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Dmytro Lytvyn rejected this proposal as inconsistent with martial law.
According to the schedule, the next presidential election was to be held on 31 March 2024. The Verkhovna Rada did not announce them due to martial law. The Constitution of Ukraine does not explicitly prohibit holding presidential elections during wartime, but the Law on the Legal Regime of Martial Law provides for the postponement of the election process for the duration of this regime.
Moscow does not recognise Zelensky – Kyiv rejects claims
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that he considers Volodymyr Zelenskyy illegitimate. On 2 February, he called him a “former head of state” and refused to hold any negotiations with him.
In response, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Sybiga said that Putin’s words were absurd:
“During his 25 years in the Kremlin, Ukraine has had three presidents as a result of fair elections.”
So far, the Ukrainian authorities have not officially confirmed their intention to hold elections under martial law. Witkoff’s statements may indicate both pressure from Washington and a search for new approaches to resume the negotiation process, amid the Kremlin’s non-recognition of the current Ukrainian leadership.
