Ukraine has begun planning presidential elections along with a referendum on a possible peace agreement with Russia after the Trump administration pressured Kiev to organize both votes by May 15 or otherwise lose the security guarantees offered by the US, writes the British edition “Financial Times“, quoted by BTA.
The move, according to Ukrainian and Western officials, comes amid strong pressure on Kiev from the White House to conclude peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in the spring.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Friday that the US wants all documents to be signed so that the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II can be ended by June.
“They say they want to do everything by June… so that the war is over“, the Ukrainian president said, adding that the White House wanted to shift its attention to the US midterm elections in November. “And they want a clear timetable“, he added.
Holding an election would be a dramatic political turnaround for a president who has repeatedly said such a vote is impossible while the country is in a state of war, millions of Ukrainians are displaced, and about 20 percent of the territory is under Russian occupation, the “Financial Times“ noted.
According to Ukrainian and European officials involved in the planning, as well as others familiar with the matter, Zelensky intends to announce the plan for presidential elections and a referendum on February 24 – the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Zelensky's office did not respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Embassy in Kiev declined to comment.
Ukrainian and Western officials have stressed that both the timetable and the U.S. ultimatum are unlikely to hold, as they depend on several factors - including whether progress can be made towards a peace agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But the plan underscores Zelensky's desire to maximize his reelection chances while reassuring U.S. President Donald Trump that Kiev is not stalling a peace deal if one can be reached.