European Commission Rejects Trump’s Push for Ukrainian Elections During Wartime

The European Commission emphasized that any elections in Ukraine can only take place when conditions are suitable for their conduct, responding to US President Donald Trump’s call for presidential elections in Ukraine, DW reported on December 9.

Anita Hipper, spokesperson for the European Commission on foreign policy, stated that elections should be held when the circumstances allow, particularly given Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. She reiterated that President Zelenskyy remains a democratically elected leader and that any elections must be conducted under the right conditions.

Trump, in an interview with Politico published the same day, asserted that “it’s time” for Ukraine to hold presidential elections. He argued that the war is being used as an excuse to delay elections, adding that the Ukrainian people deserve to have this choice. Trump also expressed concern that Ukraine is “no longer functioning as a democracy.”

This is not the first time Trump has pressured Zelenskyy over elections. Earlier in 2025, amid increased pressure on Ukraine, Trump called Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections” and claimed that Zelenskyy’s approval rating had fallen to 4%, while actual data showed around 57% of Ukrainians trusted their president, DW wrote.

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Despite these remarks, after tensions between Kyiv and Washington eased, Trump refrained from commenting on Ukraine’s election process for some time. In August, during a meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump even jokingly suggested that if the US were at war during its next presidential election, it could consider postponing it as well, DW writes.

Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of Ukraine’s leadership, frequently raising concerns about the conduct of elections in a country at war. Elections are constitutionally suspended in Ukraine during martial law, which remains in effect due to the ongoing Russian invasion.

Previously, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not compromise on its territorial integrity as talks continue over a revised US peace plan, UNITED24 Media reported.

He made the remarks to journalists while traveling from London to Brussels, following a meeting at Downing Street with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

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