Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has forcefully rejected what he termed an "utterly stupid idea" that he would announce a spring election and a referendum on a peace deal on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Reports had circulated, citing Ukrainian and European officials, suggesting the president intended to make the announcement on 24 February. This followed pressure from the Trump administration, which had reportedly issued a June deadline for a finalised peace agreement.
Zelensky's Firm Rejection of the Date
Without entirely ruling out an announcement at some future point, President Zelensky has pushed back strongly against the specific date of 24 February. In a post on the social media platform X, he emphasised the solemnity of the anniversary. "February 24 is a special date," Zelensky wrote. "Even if there were an intention or relevant steps toward bringing certain elections forward, I believe it would be an utterly stupid idea to use such a date to talk about politics."
He described the date as "very serious," noting it is used to honour "a large number of people who have defended our state and given their lives. Therefore, February 24 cannot be used to announce any elections – any elections at all," he continued. "This is not about individuals. No elections can be announced on February 24. I could never do such a thing."
Security Conditions for Elections
President Zelensky clarified that Kyiv would only move towards holding elections when "all the relevant security guarantees are in place." He stated his personal readiness for elections, explaining that Ukraine is awaiting the establishment of a ceasefire before proceeding with any electoral plans. However, such a ceasefire remains a distant prospect. Russia continues to insist that Ukraine withdraw entirely from the Donbas region, a condition that would require Kyiv to relinquish land it currently controls—a demand Ukraine has unequivocally rejected.
International Support and Peace Plans
The European Union's foreign policy chief publicly supported President Zelensky's position during remarks to reporters on Wednesday. She argued that holding elections during an ongoing conflict is impractical. "If you have elections, it is always fighting inside between different factions, and when you have outside attacks, then you just cannot hold elections because your adversary is outside, and you need to concentrate all the efforts to counter that," she said.
The European Union is actively developing its own "sustainable peace plan" aimed at compelling Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The EU official stressed the necessity of European involvement in any peace agreement. "Everybody around the table, including the Russians and the Americans, needs to understand that you need Europeans to agree (to have a peace deal)," she told reporters in Brussels. "And for that, we also have conditions. And we should put the conditions, not on Ukrainians, who have already been pressured a lot, but on the Russians."
As deadly Russian attacks intensify in regions like Zaporizhzhia, the focus remains on the challenging path toward peace and stability, with electoral considerations firmly secondary to immediate security concerns.
