Ukraine's Opposition Leaders Reject Holding Wartime Elections

Radio Free Europe ^ | 3/6/2025 | Staff

[marcusmaximus]

Ukrainian opposition leaders Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko have dismissed the possibility of elections in the country during Russia's full-scale invasion after media reports suggested US officials had approached them about the idea.

-snip-

The latest comments come after Politico reported that four senior members of US President Donald Trump's "entourage" met with Poroshenko and Tymoshenko for "secret discussions" about holding elections.

The discussions focused on whether Ukraine could have quick presidential elections, according to the report.

-snip-

Russian President Vladimir Putin has widely claimed there can't be peace talks with Ukraine because Zelenskyy is not the country's legitimate leader because his term was originally supposed to end in May 2024.

However, under the Ukrainian constitution, Zelenskyy is bound to remain in office as the country is under martial law because of Russia's full-scale invasion, a point Ukrainian lawmakers underlined in approving a resolution supporting him on February 25.

Martial law was imposed by Kyiv just a day after the Kremlin launched its all-out war in February 2022. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly noted that practical considerations, along with security and legal ones, make it impossible to hold elections.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

A takeway from the whole article -- the war continues.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Putin calling our Ukraine for being undemocratic is a joke.

[Lowell1775]

That’s some bullcrap right there, that is.

Its a mob operation and they do not want the gravy train to end....as long as there is one more “other mother’s son” to sacrifice for the Ukraine...they will fight.

[TexasFreeper2009]

we managed to hold elections during many wars, I don’t see what the problem is.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

---- "Putin calling our Ukraine for being undemocratic is a joke."

An interesting statement.

[circlecity]

As if there are any real opposition leaders in Ukraine. Z got rid of those.

[Jan_Sobieski]

Thou shalt not let the people vote!

[marcusmaximus]

UK didn’t hold elections until after the end of WW2.

[dfwgator]

The Money Train continues.

[EnderWiggin1970]

Either you have a representative government with regular elections or you don't. If you accept the idea that a war makes it too difficult to count votes, you will always be able to find some disturbance somewhere in a decent sized country and use it as an excuse to delay/cancel elections. There was a bad thunderstorm and some tornadoes. Or some flooding in one province. Or a bit of rioting that made people afraid to go out of doors. The fact that a "perfect" election can never be achieved should not be used as an excuse to cancel elections.

The reality is Ukraine abandoned any real pretense at democracy after the deep state took it over in 2014. Ukrainian government is bought and paid for, courtesy of US taxpayer dollars.

[dfwgator]

Yes, the last General Election before WWII was in 1935, and there must be another General Election not more than 5 years from the previous one, so they should have had one in 1940.

Churchill’s Wartime cabinet included members of the three major parties.

[Navy Patriot]

Trump Appointee Fires Head of Radio Free Europe, 4 Other US-Funded Media Organizations

DOGE Targeting VOA And Radio Free Europe.

It'll be so sad to see them go, ... really, ... so sad.

[dfwgator]

Democracy isn’t for everyone.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "The Money Train continues."

Backing away for a moment to a larger picture, the notion of "free money" has infected thinking for a very long time. Welfare and warfare alike, with national treasures being spent to prop up not only those on the dole and those who deal, but all the profiteers from being the "in-between," like the non-governmental organizations which seem not to be able to survive without government funds. "Free" in the sense of grants, forgivable "loans," subsidies and more methods to distribute "free money." Corruption certainly plays a big part.

With so many invested in seeing the "money train" continue to be fueled, it is assured we who would not stoke the engine's firebox have many opponents, with all sorts of narratives which reduces down to one thing -- free money and more free money.

As those we don't admire said and continue to say, "gimme."

[marcusmaximus]

London wasn’t able to vote until Hitler’s air war ended.

[MotorCityBuck]

Excellent.
They will all go down together.👍

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

we managed to hold elections during many wars, I don’t see what the problem is.

In how many of those wars was a large area of the country actively occupied by enemy forces? Not to mention that people congregating in polling places become immediate targets of opportunity for Russian attacks. Or how about that the electricity, communications, and transportation essential for an election also is subject to Russian air/missile/drone attack?

But the real question I have is this -- how come none of you people say anything about Putin's "elections" in which opposition parties and candidates are outlawed, or even killed? Why is there zero criticism about the electoral legitimacy of Putin?

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Democracy isn’t for everyone.

Ukraine has had five elected Presidents in the time Russia has had one.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "London wasn't able to vote until Hitler's air war ended."

And when they did, those wacky Brits got Clement Atlee and a vapid, problematic socialist government. Yeah for them then! And, by the way, Churchill was "out on his ear."