The head of state noted that presidential and parliamentary elections did not take place in Ukraine in 2024 due to martial law and in accordance with the Constitution.
According to Zelensky, in Ukraine "everyone understands that this is impossible to do until the war ends" or "the legislation needs to be changed."
"Why is society against it?.. Because we want elections that we can trust. 8.5 million have left the country. Infrastructure needs to be built for these millions of people to vote. Millions of people in occupied territories. I am not even talking about the occupation of 2014. I am talking about the occupation that is happening right now. What do we do with these people? That is a complex question. And one of the most unfair situations appears to be voting without a million military personnel. So, this is impossible," the president emphasized.
If elections were to take place during the war, then the legislation would need to be changed, which should include alterations to the voting system, Zelensky added.
"We need to consider online voting. Everyone is afraid due to various attacks, cyber threats, etc. But we should think about it. I believe that we have the capability to end the war by 2025," the president stated.
In response to Friedman’s clarifying question about elections in Ukraine after the war ends, Zelensky replied: "Yes, immediately. In the year the war ends. Fact."