“Elections will be held after the war ends and martial law is lifted”, – Zelensky again refused to hold elections

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again ruled out holding elections in Ukraine, stating that they will only take place after the war ends and martial law is lifted.

The Ukrainian leader made this statement while speaking with journalists.

According to Zelensky, following the start of the ceasefire, a step-by-step plan for ending the war with security guarantees should be developed. This plan would include the conclusion of the war, the lifting of martial law, and elections.

“If all this is accomplished, then after the preparation of this plan, its gradual implementation will lead to the end of the war. After the war is over, martial law will be lifted, and elections will be held in accordance with Ukrainian law. No one is deliberately postponing anything. We need to focus on the first steps to ensure silence,” Zelensky assured.

Zelensky also touched on yesterday’s negotiations in Jeddah, explaining that Ukraine agreed to the ceasefire to demonstrate to U.S. President Donald Trump that it supports ending the war.

“There was the first major constructive discussion between delegations yesterday. There is a positive outcome regarding the restoration of U.S. aid. I have repeatedly emphasized that none of us trusts the Russians—we’ve been through this—but we will not play along with narratives suggesting that we don’t want the war to end. I am very serious about this, and it is important for me to end the war. I want the U.S. president to see this, for Europe and everyone to be united in pressuring Russia to end the war. That is why my response was that we are ready for the 30-day ceasefire in the format proposed by the U.S.,” Zelensky stated.

Regarding potential sanctions against Russia if it violates the ceasefire, Zelensky acknowledged that this topic was discussed, but it is too early to make any announcements.

“If the Russians demonstrate their readiness to accept the U.S. proposal, then I believe there will be corresponding decisions. But if they are not ready, we very much hope that the American side will follow through on what it has said,” he concluded.