Zelenskiy says elections could be criticized if West helps

KIEV, Aug 27 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, responding to calls by a US senator this week to announce elections in 2024, said on Sunday the vote could take place during wartime if the partners shared the cost , legislators approved and everyone could participate. the polls.

Elections cannot currently be held in Ukraine under martial law, which must be extended every 90 days and its next expiration will be on November 15, after the normal October date for parliamentary elections, but before the presidential elections that would normally be held in March 2024.

Senior US lawmakers visited Kiev on August 23, including Senator Lindsey Graham, who praised Kiev’s fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin but said the country needed to show it was different by holding wartime elections.

Zelenskiy, in a television interview with Natalia Moseichuk, a presenter for channel 1+1, said that he had discussed the issue with Graham, including the issue of funding and the need to change the law.

“I gave Lindsey a very simple answer very quickly,” he said. “He’s very happy with it. As long as our legislators are willing to do it.”

He said holding elections in peacetime cost 5 billion hryvnia ($135 million). “I don’t know how much is needed in wartime,” he said. “So I told him that if the United States and Europe provide financial support…”

And he added: “I will not take money from weapons to donate it to the elections. And this is provided for by law.”

Zelenskiy said he told Graham that the poll watchers would have to go into the trenches. “I told him: you and I should send observers to the front so that we have legitimate elections for ourselves and for the whole world.”

Ukraine would also need help establishing additional voting access for millions of people abroad, especially from the European Union, he said.

“There is a way out,” he said. “I’m ready for it.”

Graham, a Republican, told reporters during a briefing in a bunker with fellow Senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren, both Democrats, that his message to Zelenskiy would be that they would fight to keep the arms flowing “so they can win a war.” that we can.” I can’t afford to lose.”

He added: “But I’m also going to tell you this: you have to do two things at once. We need an election in Ukraine next year. I want this country to have free and fair elections even when under assault.”

Zelenskiy said those fighting the Russian invasion would have to be included. “Today they defend this democracy and they are not given this opportunity because of the war. That is unfair. I was against the elections just because of that.”

Our standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.