President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that only Ukraine’s citizens should decide who leads the country, in response to calls from Donald Trump and Elon Musk for a change of government. In an interview with ABC News on 11 October, he said that Ukraine was ready to organise elections provided there was a complete ceasefire for at least 60 days. At present, there is no such agreement with Russia.
Briefly about the main points
- Zelenskyy rejected the idea that foreigners should have a say in a change of government in Ukraine.
- The President proposed a ceasefire as a prerequisite for safe voting.
- Trump called on Ukraine to elect a new president; Musk backed the criticism.
- Martial law prohibits the holding of presidential elections.
- Without an agreement with Russia, the date of the vote has not been set.
Zelenskyy has stated that he is prepared to accept the result of the vote
In response to a question about the position Trump, Zelensky stressed: «With all due respect to President Trump, it is our society, our people, who must choose one leader or another». According to him, the Russian leader Vladimir Putin has long been seeking a change in Ukraine’s political leadership.
The President linked the possibility of holding a vote to security. He proposed demanding that Russia cease hostilities for two months and stated that, provided there was complete a 60-day ceasefire Ukraine is organising elections. Zelenskyy added that he is prepared to accept whatever decision is made by the Ukrainian electorate.
The Head of State also stated that Ukraine is not abandoning its diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end. At the same time, he linked the continued fulfilment of his duties to his responsibility for the country in the face of Russian aggression.
Trump’s calls and Musk’s support
On 10 October, Trump stated that Ukraine apparently needs a new president, who would be able to negotiate an end to the war with Russia. He accused Zelenskyy of turning his back on opportunities for a peaceful settlement and criticised Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries.
The statements were made after Washington announced an agreement with Moscow on the supply of Russian diesel fuel. Trump linked Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s oil refining infrastructure to the rise in fuel prices. Elon Musk expressed support for the criticism of the Ukrainian leadership in a post on the social media platform X.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sibiga He also rejected external calls for a change of government, emphasising the sovereign right of citizens to determine the political future of the state.
Legal and practical obstacles to holding presidential elections during wartime
The next presidential election was due to take place in 2024, but it was not held following the imposition of martial law in the wake of the full-scale Russian invasion. Ukrainian law prohibits presidential elections whilst martial law is in force.
In addition to legal restrictions, security and organisational issues must be resolved in order for the vote to take place: the participation of military personnel, Ukrainians abroad and people in the temporarily occupied territories. The end of hostilities will not automatically lead to the scheduling of elections — legal decisions and preparations by the Central Election Commission will be required.
As of 14 October, there is no agreement between Ukraine and Russia on a full ceasefire for the proposed period. Consequently, the date of the presidential election has not been set.
