Official: Ukraine’s martial law set to stay No elections in sight

Adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office Mykhailo Podolyak has said that there are no indications that martial law in Ukraine will be lifted after its current term expires in early May, which would otherwise pave the way for elections.

Podolyak stated that despite ongoing international mediation, particularly from the US, there has been no progress toward a resolution, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

American efforts to facilitate a peaceful settlement in Ukraine have not produced any tangible results yet. 

"There is no preparation for elections. To suggest that martial law will be lifted on May 8 or 9, and that elections will take place within six months, is, to put it mildly, quite difficult," Podolyak remarked during his appearance on Ukraine's Channel 24.

Martial law and general mobilization were introduced in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and have since been extended multiple times. Amid ongoing issues with military recruitment, a law came into force on May 18, 2024, tightening mobilization rules. In recent months, mobilization efforts have often involved the use of force. Men of conscription age, unwilling to face the trenches, have been resorting to various methods, including life-threatening ones, in an attempt to flee the country. The most recent extension of martial law and mobilization in Ukraine occurred in early February, with the measures being prolonged for another 90 days, until May 9.

By Naila Huseynova