Official: Ukraine may hold elections in spring 2027

Ukrainian authorities are considering holding presidential elections in spring 2027, according to a senior adviser to the head of the presidential office, who linked the timeline to developments on the battlefield and broader strategic conditions.

Mykhailo Podolyak, speaking in an interview with Apostrophe, said that “Elections in Ukraine may take place in spring 2027,” outlining a potential timeframe that remains contingent on the course of the war.

According to Podolyak, Kyiv associates the organisation of elections with the theoretical success of military operations. These efforts, he said, are expected to lead to a cessation of hostilities along the line of contact, while maintaining current force positions in the remaining parts of Donbas rather than withdrawing troops.

He added that Ukraine intends to continue targeting “Russian export-oriented industries” as part of its strategy. However, Podolyak stressed that the effectiveness of this approach depends on achieving key operational performance indicators at the level of “50 plus per cent,” as well as on sustained “systemic pressure” on Russia from Ukraine’s Western partners.

The comments come as Ukraine continues to operate under martial law, which has been extended until August 2, 2026, and under which national elections are not held.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who took office in spring 2019 after succeeding Petro Poroshenko, has remained in power beyond the expiration of his term. Regular presidential elections had originally been scheduled for March 2024 but were postponed due to wartime conditions.

By Tamilla Hasanova