ISTANBUL
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said he is prepared to hold presidential elections within 60–90 days, provided that adequate security and legal conditions are ensured, calling on the US and European partners to help create the environment needed for voting during wartime.
Speaking to reporters while traveling from Rome to Poland, Zelenskyy said Washington wants Ukraine to be backed by firm security guarantees — including weapons supplies, air defense systems, and clear sanction mechanisms — though he noted that details are still being finalized.
He acknowledged that some NATO countries remain reluctant to back Ukraine’s membership bid.
“We are pragmatic. We genuinely want to join NATO, that’s true. But we clearly understand that neither the US nor some other allies see Ukraine in the alliance right now. And Russia will never accept it,” he said.
Zelenskyy insisted that decisions regarding elections rest solely with Ukrainians, adding that the matter did not come up in his recent talks with American officials, despite US President Donald Trump publicly suggesting it was “time” for Ukraine to vote.
Trump had argued that Ukraine risked damaging its democratic image by delaying elections, claiming Kyiv was “using the war” to postpone a vote.
Rejecting those assertions, Zelenskyy said the continuation of the war “has nothing to do with who is in power.”
He said he has already instructed Ukrainian lawmakers to draft legislative changes needed to enable elections under wartime conditions and again appealed to the US and Europe to help establish the security framework required while Russian attacks continue.
According to Zelenskyy, any nationwide vote would need secure polling locations, legal adjustments to guarantee legitimacy, and measures to ensure that troops on the front lines can participate.
He reaffirmed that he is ready to run, saying: “I have the will and the readiness.”
Discussing broader security matters, Zelenskyy said Kyiv will present its finalized peace plan to Washington on Wednesday. He also confirmed that Ukraine has begun deploying several long-range weapons systems, including Neptunes, Palyanytsia, Flamingo, and Sapsan missiles.
Regarding Crimea, Zelenskyy conceded that Ukraine currently lacks the military capability to take back the peninsula. Responding to Trump’s comments, he said: “I may have said this at our first meeting — and I think I was right — we don’t have the strength for all of this today. We don’t have enough support for it.”
He added that if Moscow is willing to agree to an “energy truce,” Kyiv is open to discussing it, emphasizing that maintaining energy stability is crucial for civilians.
Zelenskyy also highlighted that parts of the peace plan tied to Europe — including the use of frozen Russian assets and Ukraine’s EU accession process — will require approval from European partners.
He concluded that once the necessary security and legal mechanisms are established, Ukraine could hold elections within two to three months.
Source: Newstimehub
