Ukraine must decide when to hold elections, in accordance with its own legislation. The European Union is ready to assist Kiev in organizing the election process, said European Commission spokeswoman Anita Hipper, quoted by Ukrinform, BTA reports.
According to her, the decision on the timing of the elections should be made by the Ukrainian authorities in accordance with the laws in force in the country.
Hyper stressed that the EU can help primarily in ensuring democratic standards and requirements during the election process. She clarified that Brussels does not assess the conditions under which individual countries hold elections.
The European Commission's comment comes against the backdrop of renewed domestic political debate in Ukraine about the possibility of holding a vote during the war.
On Tuesday, former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for finding a legal and secure mechanism that would allow elections to be held even with ongoing hostilities.
This is the first such public call since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, made by a prominent Ukrainian political figure.
Currently, Ukrainian legislation does not allow elections to be held during martial law. Kiev has repeatedly stated that organizing a national vote under current conditions would be extremely difficult due to the ongoing war, voter security, and the millions of Ukrainians who are outside the country.
The issue of the elections is expected to remain part of the political debate in Ukraine, especially against the backdrop of international discussions on the future settlement of the conflict with Russia.