Ukraine drafts legislation for wartime elections, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said legislative initiatives have already been drafted to allow elections and a national referendum to be held while the country remains under martial law, speaking during an online briefing with journalists.

Zelenskyy said US President Donald Trump has called for elections to take place in Ukraine, but the Ukrainian president stressed that any vote during wartime would require reliable security guarantees. According to the Ukrainian president, such security could be provided with the support of foreign partners, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media. 

He added that a potential referendum should be incorporated into a future peace plan, though he did not specify what question would be put to voters.

Earlier, David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, also confirmed that Ukrainian authorities are preparing for the possibility of online elections. He said a special working group examining how to conduct elections during the war is considering a hybrid voting format.

Under the proposal, voting would take place partly at traditional polling stations and partly online, with the process potentially extended over several days to ensure broader participation and security.

Ukraine has not held national elections since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, citing security risks and constitutional restrictions under martial law.

By Sabina Mammadli