Ukraine is not planning to hold elections this year due to the war and the lack of safe conditions for voting. Representatives of the election working group have reached this conclusion, reports the British newspaper The Times.
According to the publication, a working group, which includes representatives of electoral bodies, parliament and civil society, was supposed to prepare a draft law on holding elections, but the process is being delayed due to a number of unresolved issues. These include, first of all, security guarantees, protection from possible attacks and interference from Russia.
Discussions are ongoing and are expected to continue until at least the end of May. However, the group agrees that the election campaign cannot begin until six months after the end of the active phase of hostilities, the adoption of the necessary legislation, and the creation of safe conditions for voting. This effectively makes it impossible to hold presidential elections in 2026.
Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission Serhiy Dubovyk stressed that holding elections during hostilities is too risky. According to him, it is necessary to establish a clear line of demarcation and ensure a stable security situation, after which at least six months are needed to organize the electoral process.
He also drew attention to additional restrictions imposed by martial law, in particular on freedom of movement and the media, which could significantly affect the integrity of the election campaign.
A separate problem remains the participation of millions of voters. This includes about six million Ukrainians abroad, about three million citizens in temporarily occupied territories, and about a million military personnel. For all these categories, it is necessary to create voting mechanisms that meet international standards.
The possibility of amending the legislation, in particular regarding holding elections under martial law, is also being considered. At the same time, the idea of digital voting is met with opposition due to the risks of fraud and the lack of full international control.
According to The Times, pressure from the United States was one of the factors behind the creation of the working group. At the same time, the Ukrainian side emphasizes that the situation is unprecedented and has no analogues in modern practice.
In particular, US representatives cited the 1864 presidential election during the Civil War as an example. However, Ukrainian officials consider such a comparison incorrect due to the different levels of threats, including the risks of missile strikes, cyberattacks, and information warfare.
Instead, the recommendations of British experts on organizing citizens' voting abroad, in particular through pre-registration and the use of additional polling locations outside diplomatic institutions, turned out to be more practical.
Thus, the holding of elections in Ukraine directly depends on the end of the active phase of the war and the creation of conditions that will guarantee the security and legitimacy of the vote.
