Ukrainian Ambassador comments on statements of Kellogg's about elections in Ukraine

Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, has said that the US has not yet discussed the need to hold elections by the end of 2025 with Ukraine. 

Although the issue of the need to hold elections in Ukraine by the end of 2025 has not been discussed with the United States, Markarova noted that if the team of US President Donald Trump raised it, Ukraine would be ready to discuss it.

"When this issue was discussed theoretically, in 2023-2024, our position was that it would require the end of combat actions. During the war, we will not be able to provide full access to voting and candidacy," Markarova said in an interview with Suspilne.

The comment comes as General Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for the Russo-Ukrainian war, said on 1 February that the US wanted Ukraine to hold elections, especially if a ceasefire agreement was reached.

"Most democratic nations have elections in their time of war. I think it is important they do so. I think it is good for democracy. That's the beauty of a solid democracy, you have more than one person potentially running," Kellogg said at the time.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously said that Ukraine can hold elections this year if the fighting is stopped and strong security guarantees are put in place to deter Russia from renewing its aggression.

Two former US officials confirmed to Reuters that the US had discussed holding elections in Ukraine in 2023 and 2024 with Ukrainian officials.