Ukraine Agrees to Move Forward with Presidential Elections Amid Conflict

In a recent interview, Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Middle East affairs, revealed that there is an agreement within Ukraine's leadership to move forward with presidential elections. This announcement was made during a conversation with journalist Tucker Carlson on March 21. During the interview, Carlson highlighted a perspective often echoed by Russian officials, asserting that they view Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "not elected," which they argue undermines his ability to engage in any treaties. Witkoff confirmed, "Yes. There will be. They’ve agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine," although he did not elaborate on the specifics of this agreement. The claims made by Witkoff have not yet been independently verified. The situation has been complicated by the Kremlin's longstanding attempts to delegitimize Zelensky, which is a strategy aimed at weakening Ukrainian authority on the international stage. On February 18, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to negotiations with Zelensky but emphasized that "legal aspects related to his legitimacy" need to be considered, despite Putin’s own extended leadership tenure exceeding 20 years. In the context of ongoing conflict, elections in Ukraine have not been held since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, as martial law has been in effect since February 24, 2022. Ukrainian law stipulates that elections must occur under safe, equal, and uninterrupted conditions, which are currently unattainable due to continuous Russian military actions targeting civilians and key infrastructure. Witkoff also expressed confidence that Russia would not initiate military action in Europe, suggesting that fears of further Russian expansion into European territories may be overstated. Read also: Confused about Zelensky’s legitimacy? Here’s what you need to know We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.