A representative of White House Chief Donald Trump stated that the presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine, which are not being held due to the war, "must be conducted" because "it is important" and "beneficial for democracy."
Kellogg also claims that "in most democratic countries, elections are held during wartime," and that there are "more than one potential candidate" is the "beauty of a robust democracy."
Reuters reports, citing its own sources, that "Trump's plan" for ending the war in Ukraine is still in development, but Kellogg and others from the current U.S. president's team have been discussing in recent days how to "encourage Ukraine to agree to elections" as part of a ceasefire with Russia.
The agency is also contemplating how Kyiv will react to Washington's proposal. Journalists reminded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated that Ukraine might hold elections in 2025 if hostilities cease and reliable security guarantees against further Russian aggression are provided.
Officially, the Trump administration has not yet approached the Ukrainian leadership regarding the holding of elections, according to Reuters sources in Kyiv.
One of the agency's sources expressed concern that Washington's attempt to pressure Kyiv into holding elections could provoke political instability in Ukraine.
According to one theory, Trump reacted to statements made by the illegitimate president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, claiming that Zelensky is supposedly an "illegitimate" president of Ukraine because elections are not being held in the country due to the imposition of martial law.