Elections in Ukraine: Pressure from Allies, Trump’s Calculations, and the Conditions Zelensky Agrees To

The topic of elections has resurfaced, even though the war continues and the shelling does not stop. Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he is ready to go to the polls, but only on one condition — if the United States takes on the issue of security. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is once again raising the topic of elections, and in Kyiv, this is perceived as part of his political calculation, which, according to analysts, benefits the Kremlin.

The position of Bankova is formulated more strictly than before. Zelensky emphasized that elections without security guarantees are impossible and that Kyiv does not accept a scenario where the process is conducted “for show” under external pressure. Ukraine cannot ignore the fact of millions of displaced persons, destroyed infrastructure, and daily attacks. He reported that he has given the United States a list of conditions without which the voting will not be legitimate.

This statement was a response to international noise and an internal demand — to show that Ukraine is not avoiding the choice of legitimacy but is acting in the logic of war, not political games.

Political analysts note: Trump has spoken about elections before, linking this issue with the “peace package” being discussed in Washington. In his logic, before signing any document, there should be a president with a confirmed mandate. Kyiv understands that ignoring this line will not work, so Zelensky is effectively seizing the initiative: “We are not against elections, but security is needed.” That is, a truce or at least a partial ceasefire.

There is another component. If Zelensky goes for a second term, the war increases his chances: administrative resources and the absence of bright alternatives work in favor of the current government. But this is only one part of the picture.

The other is Moscow’s benefits. Putin views any elections in Ukraine as a window for pressure. During such a period, public attention shifts, and the possibility for military escalation increases. Experts believe that the Kremlin may be counting on this.

At the same time, the question of possible opponents in the elections is not key. In wartime conditions, the campaign turns more into a referendum on trust in the current president. This means that the Ukrainian system must not only technically prepare the process but also maintain public trust in conditions of uncertainty.

Here everything hinges on the United States. Can they really ensure security? In the Pentagon and the State Department, they are only talking about discussions so far. Practical mechanisms are not visible, and the process may stall at the level of statements. Kyiv now does not look like a party that “does not want elections” — the logic of the position is clear and understandable.

Historical parallels, which the West likes to operate with — elections during World War II in the USA or Great Britain — are inapplicable. At that time, the fronts were far from the capitals. Ukraine lives under conditions of missile strikes, occupation of territories, and constant mobilization. There are simply no precedents for such elections.

Political scientist Viktor Taran criticizes the Western reaction to the war, claiming that the Kremlin imposes an agenda beneficial to itself on Western capitals. He believes that talks about elections are an attempt to explain why the peace process is dragging on, hiding real economic interests. And that Ukraine needs to prepare society for a long period of war and honestly talk about the problem of a shortage of people on the front.

Against this backdrop, Zelensky’s statement about readiness for an “energy truce” with Russia looks like an attempt to expand the field of negotiations without changing the basic position on security.

The political scene is shrinking before another round of international discussions, and the issue of elections turns into a test of the state’s manageability in wartime conditions. We will monitor how this affects domestic politics, international negotiations, and the positions of allies. All materials on the topic are in NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.