Zelenskyy Rejects Wartime Elections as Threat to Unity

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared on Sunday that holding national elections in Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia would be a dangerous risk that could split the country, directly rejecting a call from his former defence minister. The president's remarks, made public on August 23, 2026, came during a briefing with journalists on Saturday, August 22, his first in months amid recent political turmoil. Zelenskyy framed the debate as a threat to national unity, stating that elections in the current climate would be "a tsunami for the country." He argued that pursuing a vote while martial law remains in effect and the population broadly supports focusing on the war effort would be counterproductive. "If we want to destroy the country, then we can move in the direction of elections during these times of war," he said. The discussion was triggered by former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was fired in July. This week, Fedorov publicly called for a mechanism to hold wartime elections, arguing that Ukraine faced a crisis of governance. However, his appeal did not gain significant traction.