Nobel Laureate on Russia’s Election Demands: “Without Security Guarantees, Many Won’t Live to Vote”

Russia’s push for elections in Ukraine is a strategic ploy to weaken the country ahead of a renewed offensive, according to Ukrainian human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk.

Matviichuk made the statement on her Facebook page on February 19.

“Russia demands elections with a single goal: to lift martial law, demobilize the Ukrainian army, and open the borders. This would pave the way for a renewed Russian offensive, under the pretext that Ukraine violated the ceasefire,” Matviichuk wrote.

She stressed that without firm security guarantees, Ukrainians face existential risks:

“Without security guarantees, there’s a real risk that many won’t live to see the day they can cast their vote.”

“Our task is to secure real security guarantees before, not after. This is not just about Ukraine’s future—it’s about the future of all of Europe,” she added.

In 2022, the Center for Civil Liberties, which Matviichuk heads, was one of the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski and the Russian human rights organization Memorial.

Ukraine is facing increasing pressure from the U.S. to hold presidential elections despite the ongoing war with Russia and martial law. Under Ukraine’s constitution, elections cannot be held while martial law is in effect, which has been in place since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and continues to be extended.

Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he is open to discussions about elections in Ukraine, but emphasized that the majority of Ukrainians oppose holding them while the country remains under martial law.