At approximately 1400 EST, Ukrainian President Zelensky posted on his TG channel about the various issues facing his war-torn country. Most notably he said: “And we all understand that now, in times of war, when there are many challenges, it is absolutely irresponsible – somehow so… frivolously and playfully tossing the issue of elections into society.”
This comes only two days after Oleksii Mykolaiovych Arestovych, former Strategic Communications Adviser for the president announced his candidacy.
Only five days ago, Ukrainian government officials told Reuters that Zelensky was mulling the possibility of holding the elections, of which he intends to run for a second term. However, those plans seemed to be halted. Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Ukraine on 31 March 2024 according to the constitution, which mandates elections be held on the last Sunday of March of the fifth year of the incumbent president’s term of office.
This announcement is sure to infuriate American conservatives such as Senator Graham who publicly said elections should commence in order to demonstrate democratic health.
His full statements reads below:
“The resource of the state, the resource of the budget, the resource of our attention and emotions, the resource of our efforts – all this is necessary for our victory. We all see how people demand that budgetary resources be directed not to paving and street repairs, but to defense assistance. That’s how it should be. Direct all resources to make Ukraine stronger.
We all hear that there needs to be a change in the defense forces themselves: it’s about a lot of procedures that aren’t needed, it’s about a lot of the complexities that our soldiers have. Transfer, training, provision. There are many tasks. And all relevant structures should deal with them – without diverting their energy and strength to something else.
We all see that now is not the time for broad celebrations or other daring things in the rear, which are unacceptable in times of war, and even more so when the army, when all our defense forces live with completely different emotions: pain, battles, losses, but also gains for Ukraine. And we all understand that now, in times of war, when there are many challenges, it is absolutely irresponsible – somehow so… frivolously and playfully tossing the issue of elections into society.
I expect concrete answers from all relevant structures and authorities regarding the tasks that objectively face our state now. This applies to civilian authorities, and the military element of the state, and government officials with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and the Security Service of Ukraine and other law enforcement agencies.
It is also about the state needing a much greater focus on defense – everyone in the state, and especially regionally, in the rear cities, who have the resources to help and support.
This also applies to the fact that tragedies like the one with the soldiers of the 128th Brigade will never happen again. And the changes expected by our soldiers and commanders, especially the guys who were mobilized. And finally, the waves of any things that are politically divisive must stop.
My personal attitude and appeal is to take care of our state, its protection, the destruction of the occupier, and the will of Ukraine, which is being won now in the battles for Ukraine.
Glory to Ukraine!”
