Ukraine’s Politics Heats Up as U.S. Pushes for War’s End

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine has been under martial law, which means no elections can be held. However, recently, political activity in Ukraine has been increasing. This comes as the U.S. is pushing for an end to the war with Russia.

Political Tensions Rising

• Some Ukrainian politicians accuse President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s team of caring more about future elections than the war.
• Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, claims a presidential appointee is sabotaging his work.
• Opposition leaders are meeting foreign officials more often.

U.S. Influence and Election Talks

Reports say that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s team wants Ukraine to hold a presidential election by the end of the year, especially if there is a ceasefire with Russia.

• Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has been meeting many foreign officials. He denies this is about elections, saying that holding elections now would help Russia and weaken Ukraine.
• Another opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, has also been active, meeting European officials and speaking out on military issues.

Zelenskiy’s Stance on Elections

• Zelenskiy says elections will happen only after martial law ends.
• His term technically ended in May 2024, but under martial law, he remains in power.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin claims Zelenskiy is not a legitimate leader because elections have not been held.

Challenges to Holding Elections

Ukraine faces many difficulties if it tries to hold an election now:

• Millions of people have left the country or been displaced.
• A large part of Ukraine is still under Russian occupation.
• Organizing elections in war conditions would take at least 4-6 months.

Popularity and Possible Candidates

• Zelenskiy’s approval rating has dropped but is still above 50%.
• Some wonder if Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s former military chief, will enter politics. He was recently appointed as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, and his new book is selling well.

What Do Ukrainians Want?

Polls show that most Ukrainians prefer to wait until the war ends before holding elections. Their main priority is winning the war.