Zelenskyy appears to change his mind on holding elections after Trump's criticism

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his state could beryllium acceptable to clasp its archetypal predetermination since Russia's penetration successful 2022 arsenic agelong arsenic partners tin springiness him information guarantees.

Zelenskyy, whose word was acceptable to extremity successful May 2024, said that determination are 2 main issues that person to beryllium addressed earlier Ukraine tin clasp elections: information and the legislative framework. Zelenskyy said that helium has asked lawmakers from his enactment to enactment connected legislative proposals to let Ukraine to clasp elections portion the state remains nether martial law, according to The Associated Press.

Because Ukrainian instrumentality prohibits elections erstwhile martial instrumentality is successful place, Zelenskyy has declined to telephone a vote, a stance wide supported by Ukrainians, according to the AP. The state has been nether martial instrumentality since the warfare with Russia began successful February 2022.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a quality league successful Lafayette Park extracurricular the White House connected Oct. 17, 2025, successful Washington, D.C.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"Moreover, I americium present asking — and I americium stating this openly — for the United States, perchance unneurotic with our European colleagues, to assistance maine guarantee information for holding elections," Zelenskyy told reporters connected WhatsApp, according to reports. "And then, wrong the adjacent 60–90 days, Ukraine volition beryllium acceptable to clasp them."

Zelenskyy's alteration successful tune comes aft President Donald Trump accused him of utilizing the warfare arsenic an excuse to not clasp elections. The U.S. president, who has called Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" successful the past, warned that Ukraine was connected the verge of not being a ideology anymore.

"They haven’t had an predetermination successful a agelong time," Trump told Politico. "You know, they speech astir a democracy, but it gets to a constituent wherever it’s not a ideology anymore."

President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, successful New York City connected Sept. 23, 2025.  (Al Drago/Reuters)

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In his interrogation with Politico, Trump besides accused Zelenskyy of not being up-to-date connected bid talks, saying that helium heard the Ukrainian president had not work the White House's astir caller proposal.

The Trump medication has been moving to unafraid a bid woody to extremity the warfare that has gone connected for astir 4 years. Late past month, the medication presented a 28-point program that Ukrainian and European leaders thought was excessively deferential to Russia’s demands. Ukrainian officials met with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and whittled the program down.

The Trump medication has been moving to unafraid a bid woody to extremity the warfare that has gone connected for astir 4 years. (Getty Images)

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"We are moving precise actively connected each components of imaginable steps toward ending the war," Zelenskyy posted connected X connected Tuesday. "The Ukrainian and European components are present much developed, and we are acceptable to contiguous them to our partners successful the U.S. Together with the American side, we expect to swiftly marque the imaginable steps arsenic doable arsenic possible."

"We are committed to a existent bid and stay successful changeless interaction with the United States," helium added.

Fox News Digital reached retired to the White House and the State Department for comment.