According to a report by the Financial Times (FT), the United States is demanding that Ukraine organize presidential elections and a referendum on any peace agreement with Russia by May 15. Sources from the publication report that the Ukrainian leadership has already begun preparations for the upcoming votes. If the elections do not take place within the specified timeframe, Ukraine may lose the security measures proposed by Washington.
According to Western and Ukrainian officials, this demand has resulted from strong pressure from the White House, which seeks to conclude peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine before spring. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is expected to announce the holding of elections and a referendum on February 24, the day marking the fourth anniversary of the start of the Russian military operation. Sources close to Zelensky claim that Kyiv has signaled to Washington its readiness for "extremely tight deadlines" for organizing the votes, despite the logistical challenges associated with conducting elections amid military actions.
One unnamed Western official noted that the Ukrainian side is confident that all of this should be linked to the possible re-election of Zelensky.
It is worth recalling that the last presidential elections in Ukraine were held in 2019. New elections were planned for March 2024, but due to the ongoing martial law in the country, their date has been postponed indefinitely. In December 2025, Vladimir Zelensky stated his readiness to hold elections within 60-90 days, provided that the U.S. and Europe help ensure the security of the voting process.
