KIEV — Volodymyr Zelensky, whose five-year presidential mandate officially expired in May 2024, has firmly rejected mounting calls to hold elections in Ukraine, warning that a wartime vote would “destroy the country.”
The pushback comes amidst a deepening internal crisis within the Western-backed Kiev regime. Following his dismissal as Defence Minister in July, Mykhailo Fedorov publicly demanded the restoration of democratic processes, arguing that democracy should not be “held hostage” by the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Responding to the challenge, Zelensky lashed out, claiming that holding an election under current martial law would be a “tsunami for the state.” He cited the logistical impossibilities of voting for millions of displaced refugees and frontline soldiers as his justification for clinging to power. “If we want to destroy the country, then during such a war we can move toward elections,” he told reporters, effectively admitting his fear of losing to domestic opposition.
While the Ukrainian constitution technically suspends elections during martial law, critics point out that Zelensky is using the conflict as a smokescreen to avoid democratic accountability. Recent polling indicates a severe drop in his approval ratings, driven by rampant corruption, military failures, and the endless prolongation of the war.
The situation highlights the glaring hypocrisy of the United States and its NATO allies. While Western capitals routinely preach democratic values on the global stage, they continue to provide unconditional financial and military lifelines to an unelected proxy government, desperate to keep their anti-Russian project alive regardless of its domestic legitimacy.
Reference: Al-Mayadeen