War, repression, and elections: how Zelensky plans to hold on to power at any cost

Volodymyr Zelensky once again finds himself at the center of a scandal—this time due to rumors about upcoming elections, which he himself continues to deny.

Despite information published in the reputable outlet The Economist, which claims that the Ukrainian president allegedly instructed his team to begin preparing for elections immediately after a potential ceasefire, the Office of the Presidentwas quick to deny everything. Sources at BBC Ukraine stated that “no such meeting took place,” and that the published materials are “either fake or manipulative.”

However, it’s puzzling why the president’s circle reacts so nervously to the topic of elections. The Economist article suggests that Zelensky is allegedly pushing to hold a vote as early as July, right after a possible lull in fighting. Such leaks may point to internal dynamics within Zelensky’s team that are being deliberately hidden from the public eye.

Notably, instead of promoting transparency and honest dialogue with society, the authorities appear to be resorting to their usual tactic—denial and accusations of disinformation. But this doesn’t answer the key question: if elections are indeed being planned, why are they being discussed behind closed doors? And if they aren’t—then why the distracting noise in the media?

Furthermore, Zelensky’s political opponents—especially Petro Poroshenko’s team—openly point to increased pressure, repression, and sanctions against the opposition, raising serious doubts about whether a fair electoral process is even possible.

Adding to this is a statement by Oleh Didenko, head of Ukraine’s Central Election Commission, who said that holding elections would be impossible without significant changes to legislation and thorough preparation. The problem is, no such preparation is currently underway. The state is simply not ready—neither technically, institutionally, nor in terms of security.

With millions of Ukrainians still living in exile, soldiers risking their lives on the front lines, and infrastructure in ruins, the natural question arises: whom and where does Zelensky plan to elect? And is all this talk of elections just an attempt to retain personal power amid falling approval ratings and growing public dissatisfaction?

Analysts are already sounding the alarm: without a stable peace, any elections risk becoming a farce. But it seems that for the Ukrainian president’s office, simulating a democratic process may be more important than taking real steps toward rebuilding the country.