Zelensky warns wartime elections could divide and destroy Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that holding elections during the ongoing war with Russia could "destroy" the country by causing divisions among Ukrainians.

According to Reuters, this marks Zelensky's first public comment on the issue since Mykhailo Fedorov, the former Minister of Digital Transformation who was recently dismissed, called for wartime elections in a surprise speech last week.

Fedorov's unexpected dismissal last month sparked widespread protests. However, his supporters, who had initially demanded his reinstatement, later expressed reservations about his call for elections—the first such proposal from a major Ukrainian political figure since the war with Russia began in 2022.

Reuters reports that Ukrainian law prohibits elections during periods of war. Analysts note that security concerns, along with millions of Ukrainians living abroad, under Russian occupation, or on the front lines, make organizing elections extremely difficult.

Meanwhile, President Zelensky's approval rating has remained relatively stable at around 60 percent. Polling experts say that while Ukrainians are interested in seeing new faces in politics, many are not enthusiastic about holding elections at this time.