If the war drags on, we will have to find some kind of solution to the elections - Zelenskyy
Kyiv • UNN
President Zelenskyy has said that if the war drags on, solutions will need to be sought to hold elections. At the same time, he foresees difficulties with voting for the military, IDPs, and citizens in the occupied territories.
If the war continues to drag on, it will be necessary to find a solution to holding elections. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with the BBC, noting that he does not yet know what this solution should be, according to a correspondent of UNN.
First of all, no one will agree to a war that will go on for another 10 years or many years. It is very difficult, it is difficult for the world, it is difficult for everyone. I think it's not possible, it's not realistic. It's a different story. There will be many victims then. There are already many, and there will be many more... This cannot be allowed
He said he would gladly hold elections if it could be done.
If the war drags on, I will say once again that we will do everything we can to keep it from dragging on. But if it does drag on, we will have to find some kind of solution. I don't know what it is yet. It is difficult because these are changes to the Constitution of Ukraine. The Constitution cannot be changed during the war, elections cannot be held during martial law
Zelensky also named other difficulties that make it difficult to hold elections in Ukraine.
It's not fair to say that you can't hold democratic elections in the trenches. We need to have observers. No observers will come to the trenches. Furthermore, we have people in the occupied territories, so they will not vote. How will they vote? Who will control this process? And we have more than 7 million people abroad, how can we ensure that they vote? So the question is that people fighting on the frontline for democracy will not have a democratic choice... But in any case, if, I don't want to think about it, and if the war drags on, then in any case we will have to look for a tool
Addendum
Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedthat he admits the possibility that he will resign, but not before the war is over.
In August 2023, Zelenskyy saidthat elections in Ukraine under martial law are possible only if all citizens, including military personnel and internally displaced persons abroad, are able to exercise their right to vote. Funding and the presence of foreign observers at polling stations on the front line should also be ensured.
Already in March 2024, Zelenskyy statedthat elections in Ukraine cannot be held in wartime.
