Ukraine says elections impossible before martial law ends

Olha Aivazovska, head of the civic network Opora and a member of the parliamentary working group tasked with preparing for elections, has stated that no announcement regarding the imminent holding of elections will be made on February 24.

She made the statement in a post published on her Facebook page.

Aivazovska was responding to a report by the Financial Times, which suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might announce presidential elections and a referendum on that date.

According to her, there is a unified position among lawmakers and experts that elections can take place no earlier than six months after the end of martial law. She added that the next meeting of the working group is scheduled for February 12 and emphasised that it will not be the final session.

Aivazovska also stressed that organising these elections would require amendments not only to electoral legislation, but also to the Criminal Code and the Administrative Code.

“There are currently definitely no votes in parliament for anything, and after the regulatory framework is drafted in the form of a bill, more than one meeting with factions and groups will be required, where additional interests will begin to play a role alongside political ones — including ongoing issues such as sanctions and investigations. This stage may prove difficult and lengthy, because there is no longer a single coalition capable of independently adopting decisions,” she said.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that presidential elections and a referendum could be announced on February 24. These claims were subsequently denied by official sources within the Office of the President.

By Tamilla Hasanova