Moscow has joined Washington in calling for Ukraine to hold elections, sparking concern in Kyiv as it attempts to fend off Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion.
The surprising alignment has stoked fears in Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin is aiming to play Kyiv and Washington off against each other over how to proceed to end the war.
Over the weekend, United States President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, said: “In most democracies, elections take place even during wartime. I think it’s important. I believe it’s good for democracy. The beauty of a strong democracy is having more than one potential candidate.”
Moscow — where Putin has frequently declared that he does not recognize Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a legitimate leader — rowed in behind Kellogg on Monday, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling reporters in Moscow that “President Zelenskyy’s term of office has ended.”
He said that the “legitimization of Ukraine’s leadership” would be necessary as part of any peace process.
Kyiv, for its part, fears that holding elections at this juncture would imperil Ukrainian cohesion and open the country up to destabilizing Russian influence campaigns.
Kellogg’s remarks, and the Kremlin’s quick embrace of them, have set off alarm bells.
A former Ukrainian minister, who was granted anonymity to freely discuss the sensitive subject, told POLITICO that “the alignment on elections between Washington and Moscow is worrisome,” adding, “I see it as the first evidence that Trump and Putin agree that they want Zelenskyy out.”
The Kremlin didn’t make clear if peace negotiations are conditional on Ukraine holding elections, or what sequence Russia has in mind, but Moscow said until political legitimacy has been established no final deal could be agreed. Kellogg, also, wasn’t clear on the sequencing of elections and ending hostilities.
Kellogg and other White House officials have floated the idea of “pushing Ukraine to agree to elections as part of an initial truce with Russia,” according to Reuters. Kellogg has been an advocate of securing a fair peace deal for Ukraine by using American power to leverage Moscow. He has argued the U.S. should continue sending military aid to Ukraine and provide security guarantees to Kyiv to prevent further Russian aggression.
‘Security and democratic standards’
But Ukraine currently can’t hold elections legally.
Under the country’s constitution, elections can’t be called during wartime while Ukraine is under martial law. Zelenskyy declared a state of martial law at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, leading to the postponement last year of scheduled presidential and parliamentary ballots.
Election experts have also cast doubt on the practicality and feasibility of holding elections as the country is fighting for its survival under constant bombardment — and with a substantial part of its population displaced in Ukraine or overseas.
“Ukraine should hold its next elections at a time when the country can guarantee the security and democratic standards of those elections. While this cannot be guaranteed during the current all-out war,” according to election experts Peter Erben and Gio Kobakhidze of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a U.S.-headquartered non-profit.
Despite this, Kellogg said “elections are necessary in Ukraine.”
Kellogg said the elections could take place by the end of the year, especially if a truce with Russia was reached, but added such votes “need to be done.”
Zelenskyy has previously said Ukraine could hold elections this year, if the fighting ends and security guarantees have been agreed to deter Russia from any renewed hostilities.
At the weekend, Zelenskyy warned against the U.S. and Russia excluding Kyiv from negotiations about ending the war. “They may have their own relations but talking about Ukraine without us — it is dangerous for everyone,” he added.
Trump on Sunday said his aides are already in talks with Russian authorities about ending the war.
“We will be speaking, and I think we’ll perhaps do something that’ll be significant,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “It’s got to stop.”
Ukraine freaks out as US and Russia push for elections
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