Zelensky: I would run if elections are held during the war — but 60 days of ceasefire are needed

What the president said

Volodymyr Zelensky told NBC News’ Meet the Press that he would stand in a presidential election if it took place before the end of the war. “If it will be during the war – of course. It’s my responsibility, because I have to defend my country from the very beginning to end of this war,” he said.

The condition: 60 days without fire

Zelensky said current legislation requires at least six months after the end of the war to prepare elections. Still, he is ready to look for a solution if Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire.

“If they really want it, I said: give us minimum 60 days of ceasefire… just 60 days, and we will try our best to change our law, we will try our best to prepare some security infrastructure,” the president explained. According to Ukrainska Pravda, he specified 60 days of ceasefire “without any kind of other negotiations”.

Zelensky stressed that this is “not only a matter of legislation, but also of security measures”. He admitted the idea looks dangerous and almost unbelievable, because the country needs a fair choice and soldiers must be able to vote, “since they are defending our country”.

“It’s not true that I don’t want elections”

The president rejected claims that he does not want elections, saying the decision on who leads the country must be made by Ukrainians. “If anyone thinks I don’t want elections, that’s not true and it’s unfair,” he said, as quoted by LIGA.net.

How the issue arose

The election question returned to the spotlight after 10 October, when Donald Trump accused Zelensky of not wanting to end the war and said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president who “knows how to negotiate”. The remarks came after Trump announced an agreement with Vladimir Putin on supplying Russian diesel to world markets.

On 11 October Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to hold elections if there was a full 60-day ceasefire. According to Ukrainska Pravda, the Kremlin replied that Russia was not prepared to observe such a truce and would at most refrain from strikes on election day itself. On 14 October Zelensky said he was confident that any newly elected Ukrainian leader would not make a deal with Putin and would keep defending the country.

What the law says

Ukrainian law does not allow elections to be held under martial law. Changing that would require decisions by parliament as well as security and technical preparations: protecting polling stations from strikes and organising voting for soldiers at the front, millions of internally displaced people and Ukrainians abroad.

What victory means

In the same interview Zelensky described how he sees victory: “To preserve the country, independence, our European and geopolitical choice, all our rights and Ukrainian identity — I believe that is victory.” A halt to strikes on energy infrastructure could be the first step towards ending the war, he said.

Why it matters

Zelensky’s statement is a response to pressure from Washington, which increasingly links elections in Ukraine with the peace process. The president is effectively moving the issue onto practical ground: elections are possible only if Russia stops firing for at least two months. Given the Kremlin’s position, such a scenario is not in sight for now.