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“First Security, Then Politics”: Zelenskyy Insists Elections Can Only Be Held After a Ceasefire
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![Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk]( "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had not heard of any plans to announce a presidential election date or a referendum on territorial integrity on February 24, rejecting previous reports while speaking to journalists on February 11.
Zelenskyy said this was the first time he had encountered such claims and reiterated that Ukraine would only move toward elections once proper security guarantees are in place.
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He stressed that Ukraine itself has not initiated discussions on elections, though the issue has been raised by international partners.
“But of course, we are ready for elections. I’ve said, it’s very simple to do: establish a ceasefire – and there will be elections. I mean, it is a matter of security,” he said.
Zelenskyy added that while the United States has raised the topic, he would not go into details, but denied that Washington was threatening to withdraw security guarantees or linking them to an election timetable.
“No, they are not threatening to abandon security guarantees. Moreover, they are not linking elections to security guarantees,” he stated.
Zelenskyy also dismissed the idea of using February 24, the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, to make political announcements.
Calling the date one of deep national significance, he said it would be “an absolutely foolish idea” to speak about elections on a day marking four years of war and honoring those who have defended Ukraine.
“No elections can be announced on February 24 — any elections at all,” Zelenskyy said, repeating his position that Ukraine’s priority remains “first security, then politics.”
Earlier, he also said that holding elections or a nationwide referendum in Ukraine is impossible under current security conditions and warned that the Kremlin would attempt to use the issue of voting to challenge the legitimacy of any future electoral process.
Zelenskyy made the remarks while answering questions from journalists, commenting on ongoing discussions about potential political processes amid Russia’s continued missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
