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The United States is encouraging Ukraine to hold elections, possibly by the end of the year, particularly if a truce with Russia can be reached in the coming months, Reuters reported, quoting President Donald Trump’s top Ukraine official.
Call for Elections During Wartime
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, emphasized in an interview with Reuters that resuming presidential and parliamentary elections—currently suspended due to the war with Russia—was essential.
“Most democratic nations have elections even during wartime. I think it is important that they do so,” Kellogg stated. “That is the beauty of a solid democracy—you have more than one person potentially running.”
Both Trump and Kellogg have signaled their intent to broker a peace deal within the initial months of a new administration to halt the full-scale war that erupted with Russia’s invasion in February 2022. However, they have yet to reveal concrete details regarding their strategy for ending what has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
Discussions on a Ceasefire and Elections
Although no final policy decisions have been made, Kellogg and other White House officials have recently debated the idea of urging Ukraine to hold elections as part of a preliminary ceasefire with Russia. This discussion has been confirmed by two sources familiar with these internal deliberations and a former U.S. official briefed on the proposal.
Trump administration officials are also considering whether to push for an initial ceasefire before attempting to negotiate a more permanent peace agreement, according to the sources. If presidential elections were held, the elected leader would then be responsible for negotiating a long-term settlement with Moscow.
These individuals, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, noted that the reception of such a proposal in Kyiv remains uncertain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has indicated that elections could take place if hostilities cease and strong security guarantees are in place to prevent a renewed Russian offensive.
A senior adviser to the Ukrainian government and another source within Kyiv’s administration stated that the Trump administration has not yet made a formal request for Ukraine to conduct elections by year-end.
Legal and Strategic Barriers to Elections
Zelenskiy’s five-year presidential term was set to expire in 2024. However, Ukrainian law prohibits presidential and parliamentary elections under martial law, which has been in effect since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Washington had previously raised the issue of elections with senior officials in Zelenskiy’s administration during 2023 and 2024 under President Joe Biden, according to two former senior U.S. officials. The State Department and White House reportedly conveyed that elections were critical to maintaining international democratic norms.
However, Ukrainian officials have resisted the idea in discussions with the Biden administration, arguing that elections during the ongoing conflict could divide leadership and expose the country to Russian influence campaigns.
When asked about these reports, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded, “We do not have that information.” Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, speaking to the Interfax news agency on January 27, stated that there had been no direct contact between Moscow and the Trump administration. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has also said it is waiting for the U.S. to approve its new ambassador to Washington.
Putin’s Position on Ukraine’s Leadership
Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly dismissed Zelenskiy’s legitimacy in the absence of an electoral mandate. He argues that, without elections, Zelenskiy lacks the legal authority to sign binding peace agreements.
However, Putin has suggested that Zelenskiy could still engage in negotiations but must first revoke a 2022 decree banning talks with Russia while Putin remains in power. A Ukrainian government source described Putin’s stance as a calculated maneuver to undermine Ukraine’s negotiating position.
“(He) is setting a trap, claiming that if Ukraine doesn’t hold elections, he can later ignore any agreements,” the source said.
Potential Consequences of Lifting Martial Law
Ukraine’s legal framework explicitly prohibits elections under martial law, and some Western officials have voiced concerns over lifting these restrictions prematurely. A former Western official warned that ending martial law could allow mobilized soldiers to leave the military, lead to an outflow of hard currency, and trigger a mass departure of draft-age men seeking to avoid conscription.
Additionally, political instability could follow, as Zelenskiy’s status as a “lame duck” leader would weaken his authority and fuel competition among potential successors. The former official cautioned that if Trump pressures Zelenskiy to hold elections, Washington could inadvertently be aligning with Putin’s narrative questioning the Ukrainian leader’s legitimacy.
“Trump is reacting, in my view, to … Russian feedback,” the official said. “Russia wants to see an end to Zelenskiy.”
Doubt Over Peace Talks and Elections in 2025
Several former U.S. officials have expressed skepticism about whether a peace deal can be achieved in the near future or if elections in Ukraine will take place in 2025. The fundamental disagreements between Kyiv and Moscow on the process for initiating negotiations remain unresolved.
Although the Kremlin has repeatedly claimed that Putin is open to talks without preconditions, William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, countered that Putin has demonstrated no genuine willingness to engage in serious peace discussions.
Zelenskiy, for his part, has insisted that any agreement must include U.S. and European security guarantees. This would potentially involve the deployment of foreign military forces on the frontlines to ensure Russia abides by the terms of a ceasefire.
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