Ukrainian opposition leaders dismiss idea of wartime election

KYIV - Ukrainian opposition leaders have dismissed the idea of holding a wartime election, after a media report of contacts between them and US officials and in the wake of President Donald Trump

calling his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator”

for not holding one.

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko said on March 6 his team was working with US “partners” to maintain support for Ukraine – but he added that he was opposed to a wartime election.

In a written statement published on Telegram, Mr Poroshenko said elections should only happen after peace had been established. He added that a vote should take place no later than 180 days after the end of the war.

Ms Yuliia Tymoshenko, another opposition leader, said her team “is talking with all our allies who can help in securing a just peace as soon as possible”, and said that elections should not take place before this had been achieved.

Politico reported on March 6 that four senior members of Mr Trump’s entourage had held discussions with some of Mr Zelensky’s top political opponents.

The talks were held with Ms Tymoshenko and senior members of the party of Mr Poroshenko, who was president from 2014 to 2019, Politico reported, citing three Ukrainian lawmakers and a US Republican foreign policy expert.

The discussions focused on whether Ukraine could have quick presidential elections, according to the report.

Washington has paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv in stunning moves following

Mr Zelensky’s public spat with Mr Trump

at the Oval Office a week ago. Mr Zelensky has

called the clash “regrettable”

and said he is willing to work with the new US president to achieve peace.

Moscow, which invaded Ukraine three years ago, claims Mr Zelensky is illegitimate because his five-year term ran out in 2024. But under Ukrainian law, elections cannot be held in wartime. Mr Zelensky has instead offered to vacate his post in exchange for peace and Nato membership.

Mr Poroshenko and Mr Zelensky’s political rivalry, meanwhile, goes back years. In February, Mr Zelensky approved sanctions against Mr Poroshenko for what the country’s domestic spy agency described as “national security reasons”, without giving details. Mr Poroshenko said the move was politically motivated. REUTERS