US Urges Ukraine to Hold Elections

The United States has urged Ukraine to conduct both presidential and parliamentary elections, potentially by the end of the year, provided Kyiv can reach a ceasefire agreement with Moscow in the coming months.

Keith Kellogg, former US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, emphasized that elections, which were postponed due to the ongoing war with Russia, “must happen.”

In an interview with Reuters, Kellogg stated that most democratic countries hold elections even during times of war, noting that this upholds democratic principles and offers a diverse range of candidates.

Both Trump and Kellogg are working on a plan to mediate a peace agreement in the early months of the new US administration, aiming to end the war that began after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Although specifics of the strategy to end the conflict—one of the deadliest in Europe since World War II—remain undisclosed, sources familiar with the discussions revealed that US officials have been working with Ukraine to explore the possibility of holding elections under a temporary ceasefire with Russia.

These officials are also reportedly considering steps to initiate a preliminary ceasefire before negotiating a permanent peace agreement.

If elections are held, a new Ukrainian president would be tasked with negotiating a long-term settlement with Moscow.

Sources confirmed that the US administration has not made a formal request for Ukraine to hold elections by the end of this year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously stated that Ukraine may be open to organizing elections if fighting ceases and sufficient security guarantees are provided to prevent any further Russian attacks.