Zelenskyy says wartime elections could ‘destroy’ Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for wartime elections, warning that holding a vote during the ongoing conflict would split the country. The proposal was initiated by former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who argued that democracy should not be held hostage by Russian aggression.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the internal political tensions in Ukraine regarding governance and democratic processes while the nation remains under existential threat.
The embattled Ukrainian president slams Mykhailo Fedorov’s idea as a ‘tsunami’ that would ‘split’ the country.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks on National Flag Day in Kyiv, Ukraine, August 23, 2026 [Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff , AFP and Reuters Published On 23 Aug 2026 23 Aug 2026 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected his ex-defence chief’s calls for a wartime election, calling the prospect a “huge risk” amid the more than four-year war with Russia.
Ukrainian law bans elections during wartime, a measure that had gone unchallenged until former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov made the first public demand for a vote earlier this week.
Zelenskyy rejected the call during a wide-ranging briefing with reporters on Saturday.
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