ALWAGHT- The Trump administration is reportedly pressuring Ukraine to hold elections by year-end while seeking a truce between Kyiv and Moscow to end the prolonged war.
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, stated in an interview that Ukraine should proceed with presidential and parliamentary elections despite the ongoing war. He emphasized that most democratic nations conduct elections during wartime and that holding them would reinforce Ukraine’s democratic principles. Reuters also reported that Kellogg and other White House officials had discussed linking Ukrainian elections to an initial truce agreement with Russia.
Trump and Kellogg have indicated they are working on a plan to negotiate a resolution to the war within the first months of a new US administration. However, the details of the plan remain unclear, and it is uncertain how it would be received in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that elections could be held if hostilities end and strong security guarantees are in place to prevent renewed Russian aggression. Under martial law, which has been in effect since February 2022, Ukraine cannot hold elections, and officials have resisted calls for voting, arguing it could divide the country and expose it to Russian influence campaigns.
Trump has claimed that Zelenskyy expressed interest in a peace agreement, while also warning Russia of potential tariff hikes and additional sanctions if Moscow refuses a ceasefire. Russia initially launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, citing NATO’s expansion as a key concern. Since then, the US and its allies have provided Ukraine with substantial military aid, despite Moscow’s warnings that such actions only prolong the conflict.
