Trump calls for elections in Ukraine, emphasises people’s right to choose

U.S. President Donald Trump has called for elections to be held in Ukraine, stressing the importance of giving the Ukrainian people a choice.

“It’s been a long time,” Trump told Politico in an interview.

Responding to a question on whether Kyiv should organise elections, he said, “Yes, I think it’s time.I think it’s an important time to hold an election.”

“The Ukrainian people would ... should have that choice,” he added. “And maybe Zelenskyy would win. I don’t know who would win.”

Trump also criticised the state of democracy in Ukraine, stating, “They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”

Ukraine’s presidential election was due in late March or April 2024, following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s landslide 2019 victory, in which he received 73% of the vote. However, Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, led to the imposition of martial law, which has been extended 17 times, most recently through February 2, 2026. Under Article 19 of Ukraine’s 2015 law On the Legal Regime of Martial Law, presidential, parliamentary, and local elections are explicitly prohibited while martial law is in effect. Article 10 ensures continuity of executive, legislative, and cabinet powers during this period.

By Khagan Isayev