Zelensky Announces Readiness for Ukraine Elections Amid Peace Negotiations with US

Zelensky revealed on Monday that Washington's 28-point proposal had been condensed to 20 points.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Tuesday his readiness to organize new elections in Ukraine and indicated he would deliver revised proposals to Washington within a day regarding the resolution of the nearly four-year conflict with Russia.

The Biden administration is urging Kyiv to accept a Washington-formulated agreement, whose initial version faced criticism from Ukraine's supporters for appearing overly beneficial to Moscow.

"We are working today and will continue tomorrow. I believe we will submit it tomorrow," Zelensky informed reporters after visiting multiple European capitals to coordinate a response with allies.

In an interview published Tuesday by Politico, Trump, who previously accused Zelensky of not examining the latest American proposals, stated that Russia maintained the "upper hand" in the conflict.

Trump also claimed that Kyiv was "using war" to avoid holding elections, which have been suspended under martial law since Russia's invasion.

"They discuss democracy, but eventually it reaches a point where it's no longer democratic," Trump remarked.

Ukrainian legislation prohibits elections during martial law, without which a presidential vote would have occurred in March 2024.

However, following Trump's comments, Zelensky declared his willingness to organize a new ballot.

"I am prepared for elections," Zelensky told journalists, adding that he is requesting Ukrainian parliamentarians to develop "proposals regarding possible amendments to the legislative framework and election laws during martial law."

Zelensky spent recent days traveling between European capitals to formulate a response to the American plan. Monday saw him in discussions with European leaders in London and Brussels, while Tuesday he visited Italy to meet Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Washington's proposal involved Ukraine surrendering territory Russia hasn't yet captured—the entire industrial Donbas region—in exchange for security assurances that fall short of Kyiv's NATO membership aspirations.

Zelensky revealed Monday that after US-Ukraine discussions over the weekend, Washington's 28-point plan had been reduced to 20 points.

He identified territorial issues and international security guarantees as the primary contentious matters.

"Do we consider ceding territories? We have no legal authority to do so under Ukrainian law, our constitution, and international law. Nor do we possess any moral right," Zelensky emphasized.

"The critical question is understanding what our partners would do in case of renewed Russian aggression. Currently, we haven't received any answer to this question," he stated.

During a televised event Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin described Ukraine's eastern Donbas region as Russia's "historical territory."

"This territory is significant; it is absolutely our historical territory," he asserted.

Trump has displayed inconsistent positions regarding Ukraine since returning to office in January, initially criticizing Zelensky for insufficient gratitude toward American support.

However, he also expressed frustration that efforts to convince Putin to end the war had proven unsuccessful, and recently imposed new sanctions on Russian oil companies.

European allies have demonstrated solidarity with Ukraine.

In the Politico interview, Trump criticized Europe's contribution, saying: "They talk but they don't produce."

Meloni, who positions herself as a mediator between Trump and Europe, has consistently supported Ukraine since Russia's invasion, although one of her coalition partners, Matteo Salvini's League party, shows more skepticism regarding aid to Kyiv.

Italy has provided weapons to Ukraine, but only for targets within Ukrainian territory. Meloni has also excluded deploying troops in a potential monitoring force proposed by Britain and France.

The Italian government recently postponed a decision about renewing military assistance to Ukraine, with current authorization expiring December 31. Salvini has reportedly questioned its necessity considering ongoing negotiations.

Nevertheless, Meloni previously insisted that "as long as conflict continues, we'll contribute what we can, as we've always done to help Ukraine defend itself."