Volodymyr Zelensky says he is “ready” to organize elections after criticism from Donald Trump

New exchange of arms between Ukraine and the United States. President Volodymyr Zelensky assured Tuesday that he was “ready” to organize presidential elections in his country, while his American counterpart Donald Trump once again criticized the absence of elections in Ukraine, which has been facing the Russian invasion of its territory for almost four years.

“I am ready for elections,” Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters, adding that holding elections was conditional on the country’s security and that he also asked MPs to prepare “proposals on the possibility of amending the legislative foundations and the law on elections under martial law.”

Without martial law, in place since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and which prevents the vote from taking place, the Ukrainian presidential election should have been organized in March 2024.

Donald Trump, in an interview earlier this Tuesday with the Politico website, reiterated his strong criticism of Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky. “I think it’s time” to organize elections, said the American president, accusing kyiv of “using war” to abstain from doing so.

Towards a plan to end the conflict

Ukrainian leaders “talk about democracy but we are reaching a point where it is no longer a democracy (…). The Ukrainian people should have this choice,” insisted the tenant of the White House. “I don’t know who would win. »

Volodymyr Zelensky also said on Tuesday that he hoped to deliver to the United States on Wednesday an updated plan for resolving the conflict with Russia. “We work today and we will continue tomorrow. I think we will submit it tomorrow,” he said, when asked by reporters whether the plan had already been transmitted to Washington.

Under pressure from Donald Trump who wants to secure a peace agreement, Volodymyr Zelensky met Monday in London and Brussels with European leaders who showed their solidarity with kyiv.

Washington’s plan called for kyiv to cede territories not occupied by Russia in exchange for security promises deemed insufficient to meet Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, the territorial question and international security guarantees are among the main blocking points.

Since his return to power in January, Donald Trump, who had promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, has opted for a fluctuating attitude towards kyiv. But he also shows his frustration with Vladimir Putin and recently imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies.