The Ukrainian leader’s presidential term expired last year but he has refused to hold a vote due to martial law
US President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to hold elections, questioning the country’s democratic credentials in an interview with Politico published on Tuesday.
He appeared to issue a new challenge to Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term expired in May 2024, but has declined to organize a presidential election, citing martial law.
Zelensky was elected in 2019 and declared in December 2023 that Ukraine would not hold presidential or parliamentary elections while martial law remains in force. It was imposed after the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022 and has since been repeatedly extended by parliament.
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Trump told Politico that Kiev should no longer use the ongoing conflict as an excuse to delay a vote.
“They haven’t had an election in a long time,” Trump said. “You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”
Asked directly if Ukraine should go to the polls, Trump said “it’s time” and argued it was “an important time to hold an election,” adding that while “they’re using war not to hold an election,” Ukrainians “should have that choice.”
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A major corruption scandal has damaged Zelensky’s standing at home as well, just as Ukraine’s forces are suffering a series of setbacks at the front. Moscow, meanwhile, has repeatedly said it considers him an illegitimate leader.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently noted that while Russia is also a party to the military conflict, it nevertheless held a presidential election in March 2024.
