Ukraine’s Zelensky says ‘ready’ for elections if security is ensured
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni meeting in Rome, Italy, on Dec 9.
PHOTO: EPA
Follow topic:
- Zelensky is ready to hold Ukraine elections if security is guaranteed, asking the US for help alongside European colleagues, after Trump accused Kyiv of "using war" to avoid elections.
- Zelensky will send revised proposals to Washington regarding ending the war with Russia after discussing initial US proposals with allies, which involved surrendering territory.
- Key sticking points in peace talks are land and security guarantees, as Zelensky affirms Ukraine has no legal or moral right to cede territory, while Putin claims Donbas as "historical territory".
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ROME - President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec 9 he was ready to hold new elections in Ukraine if security could be guaranteed by Kyiv’s partners, and that he expected to send to Washington within a day revised proposals
US President Donald Trump is pressuring Kyiv to accept a deal formulated by Washington, the initial version of which was criticised by Ukraine’s allies as overly favourable to Russia.
“We are working today (Dec 9) and will continue tomorrow (Dec 10). I think we will hand it over tomorrow,” Mr Zelensky told reporters after shuttling between European capitals to hammer out a response with allies.
Mr Trump, who earlier accused Mr Zelensky of not reading the latest US proposals, said Russia had the “upper hand” in the conflict, in an interview with Politico published on Dec 9.
He also accused Kyiv of “using war” to avoid elections.
A presidential ballot was due to have taken place in Ukraine in March 2024, but it was postponed due to the imposition of martial law after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour in 2022. Ukraine’s martial law prohibits holding elections during wartime.
But on Dec 9, following Mr Trump’s comments, Mr Zelensky said he was ready to organise a new ballot.
“I am ready for the elections,” Mr Zelensky told journalists, during a virtual media briefing, adding that he is asking Ukrainian lawmakers to prepare “proposals regarding the possibility of amending the legislative foundations and the law on elections during martial law”.
Still, for any vote to happen, security must be provided first, he said, asking the US to help ensure it.
“I am now asking, I declare this openly, for the United States of America to help me, possibly together with European colleagues, to ensure security for holding elections,” he said.
Ukrainian cities are pounded by Russian drones and missiles almost daily, while hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are fighting at the front, and millions have fled overseas.
‘No legal right’
Mr Zelensky spent the past few days shuttling between European capitals to hammer out a response to the US peace plan.
On Dec 8, he held talks with European leaders in London and Brussels. On Dec 9, he went to Italy to meet Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Washington’s initial proposals involved Ukraine surrendering land that Russia has not captured – the entire industrial Donbas region – in return for security promises that fall short of Kyiv’s aspirations to join NATO.
Mr Zelensky said the initial US plan for ending the war has been broken down into three documents – a framework 20-point agreement, and two separate papers, one on security guarantees and another one on Ukraine’s post-war recovery. He said the land issue and international security guarantees were two of the main sticking points.
“Do we envision ceding territories? We have no legal right to do so - under Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law. And we don’t have any moral right either,” Mr Zelensky said.
“The key is to know what our partners will be ready to do in the event of new aggression by Russia. At the moment, we have not received any answer to this question,” he said.
During a televised event on Dec 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region Russia’s “historical territory”.
Mr Zelensky also said the US and some other NATO countries also don’t see Ukraine in the alliance.
“Look, we are realists, we truly want to be in NATO. In my opinion, this is fair. But we know for sure that neither the United States of America nor a few other countries, to be frank, see Ukraine in NATO at this time,” Mr Zelensky told journalists.
Trump criticises Europe
Mr Trump has blown hot and cold on Ukraine since returning to office in January, initially chastising Mr Zelensky for not being grateful for US support.
But he was also frustrated that efforts to persuade Russia’s leader to end the war had failed to produce results, and he recently slapped new sanctions on Russian oil firms.
European allies have expressed solidarity with Ukraine.
In the Politico interview, Mr Trump criticised Europe’s role, saying: “They talk but they don’t produce.”
Ms Meloni, who positions herself as a bridge between Mr Trump and Europe, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, although one of her coalition allies, Mr Matteo Salvini’s League party, is more sceptical of aid for Kyiv.
Italy has sent weapons to Ukraine, but only for targets inside the country. Ms Meloni has also ruled out sending troops in a possible monitoring force proposed by Britain and France.
The Italian government last week postponed a decision on renewing military aid to Ukraine, with the current authorisation due to end on Dec 31. Mr Salvini has reportedly questioned whether it is necessary in light of current talks.
However, Ms Meloni at the time insisted that “as long as there’s a war, we’ll do what we can, as we’ve always done to help Ukraine defend itself”. AFP
