Ukrainian opposition leaders have hit out against Donald Trump’s demands to hold elections in the country during times of war in a similar parroting of Kremlin lines
Volodymyr Zelensky’s political rivals have embarrassed Donald Trump after holding a secret call with the US President.
Members of Mr Trump’s team are reported to have held calls with Ukraine’s opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko as well as ex-president Petro Poroshenko, where they discussed whether they could hold elections during wartime. Today both opposition leaders confirmed talks had taken place with the Trump administration.
But both opposed any elections while the country continues to remain at war with Russia, dealing a blow to Trump’s team that has regularly pushed Mr Zelensky to hold elections despite the imposition of marital law. Taking to Facebook, Mr Poroshenko said: “We work publicly and transparently with our American partners, aiming to maintain bipartisan support of Ukraine.
“The essence of our conversations with representatives of the American side has always come down to two principles – security first and peace through strength. Namely—weapons, intelligence, sanctions against Russia, financial support, democratic stability (freedom and democracy), transatlantic unity.
“Our team has always been and continues to be against elections during the war…We have said and continue to say that elections can only take place after a ceasefire and the signing of a peace agreement with security guarantees for Ukraine.”
Mr Trump previously branded the Ukrainian president “a dictator” and his senior adviser and world’s richest man Elon Musk has regularly called for elections in the country and has stated he would “lose in a landslide”.
His comments are similar to arguments being made by the Kremlin, which has regularly attempted to paint Ukraine as an undemocratic and Nazi state. Neither Mr Trump nor Mr Musk have made mention of Russia’s elections, which have been widely accused by international observers of being rigged in favour of the ruling party.
Elections have been suspended in Ukraine since February 2022 when martial law was introduced due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. Mr Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia told Reuters on February 1 that he wanted Mr Zelensky to hold elections by the end of the year.
He said “most democratic nations have elections in their times of war. I think it is good for democracy. That’s the beauty of a solid democracy, you have more than one person potentially running.”
Many nations, including the UK, have not held elections during times of war. During World War II, the UK did not hold elections as it was embroiled for a fight over its existence as a sovereign nation with Nazi Germany.