Kyiv, 10 December (H.S.): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said he was prepared to hold national elections despite the ongoing war, while confirming that his government had revised and was preparing to send Washington an updated version of its peace proposal aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict with Russia.
Speaking to journalists in Kyiv, Zelensky said the revised plan — reduced from 28 points to 20 — would be handed to the United States within a day. The development follows renewed pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has urged Kyiv to accept a Washington-formulated deal that many European allies have denounced as too accommodating to Moscow.
“We are ready for elections,” Zelensky stated, adding that he had requested Parliament to explore amendments to election laws and constitutional provisions in order to allow voting under martial law.
Ukraine’s constitution currently prohibits holding elections during wartime, which forced a delay in the presidential ballot originally scheduled for March 2024.Zelensky’s announcement came after Trump accused Kyiv of “using the war to avoid elections” and claimed Russia held “the upper hand” in the ongoing conflict.
The Ukrainian leader, however, reiterated that ceding territory was not an option, stressing that neither domestic law nor international norms permit Ukraine to surrender sovereign land.“The question is not about concessions but about guarantees — what our partners will do in case of renewed Russian aggression,” Zelensky said, underscoring the lack of conclusive security commitments from Western allies.
Over the past two days, Zelensky has toured several European capitals, including London, Brussels, and Rome, where he met Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The consultations sought a unified response ahead of talks with Washington.Trump’s fluctuating stance on Ukraine — alternating between criticism of European allies and frustration over stalled diplomacy with the Kremlin — continues to fuel transatlantic tension.
While Italy and other European states reaffirmed support for Kyiv’s right to self-defence, discussions around future aid remain politically fraught, with divisions widening within Meloni’s coalition.As the war drags into its fourth year, Zelensky’s willingness to proceed with elections marks a significant shift, signalling both internal political recalibration and an attempt to counter claims of democratic backsliding in wartime Ukraine.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
