Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing for a possible snap election this summer as ceasefire talks gain momentum and his approval ratings rise following a tense exchange with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
This was reported by The Economist.
Government insiders say Zelensky recently tasked his team with organizing a national vote, potentially following a full ceasefire in time for Easter, on April 20.
The vote would likely take place in early summer, assuming martial law can be lifted and preparations completed in time.
A Tactical Window for a Vote
A ceasefire, reportedly backed by Washington, could provide the legal and logistical breathing room needed to hold a vote. Ukraine’s constitution prohibits elections under martial law, but parliament must vote to extend the law by May 5.
That deadline is now seen as a pivot point.
Zelensky, who had previously resisted calls for a wartime election, is said to have recalculated after Trump’s harsh treatment during an Oval Office visit in March.
According to a poll commissioned by The Economist, that moment sparked a surge in Zelensky’s domestic popularity, making early elections more appealing.
While Zelensky’s camp is reportedly targeting July as the earliest possible window, legal and technical challenges remain. Ukraine’s election laws require at least 60 days for campaigning, and some officials argue that three months may be needed to fully restore voter lists and infrastructure.
Poroshenko and the Shadow Campaign
Former President Petro Poroshenko, Zelensky’s most vocal rival, believes the election won’t take place until August or October. But he also claims that the campaign has already begun, citing Zelensky’s recent sanctions against him, allegedly tied to his meetings with Trump allies in the U.S.
Poroshenko’s team claims the move was intended to block his candidacy and intimidate Ukraine’s former top general, Valeriy Zaluzhny, who is also viewed as a serious challenger should he enter the race.
According to one senior government source quoted by The Economist, Zelensky’s aim is to catch his opponents off guard with a compressed campaign calendar, ensuring they have less time to mobilize.
“A long campaign would tear the country apart,” the source said.
A Vote Under Fire?
Even with a ceasefire in place, massive hurdles remain.
Millions of displaced Ukrainians, soldiers on the front lines, and residents in occupied territories would need access to secure voting methods. Some in the government have proposed using the Diia smartphone app for digital voting, but opposition parties have raised serious transparency concerns.
Any changes to the election process—especially involving electronic voting—would require constitutional amendments and a two-thirds parliamentary majority, a steep climb given political tensions.
Opposition lawmakers also argue that fair elections are impossible during wartime without lifting censorship, addressing propaganda concerns, and ensuring all political parties have access to voters.
Russia, Trump, and the New Calculations
Ironically, both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump were once believed to support early elections in Ukraine, anticipating that Zelensky would be ousted. But now that Zelensky’s approval has spiked, those same elections may pose a threat to their desired outcomes.
According to The Economist, Putin’s drones and missile strikes could be used to sabotage the ceasefire and prevent martial law from being lifted. Russian influence operations may also escalate during the campaign, with one intelligence official warning that domestic instability may soon eclipse battlefield threats.
“Russia will use soldiers, opposition figures, and influencers to carry out its orders,” the official said.
