Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s call for Ukraine to choose a new leader, saying the decision belongs to the Ukrainian people.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine would be prepared to organise presidential elections if Russia agrees to a 60-day full ceasefire, arguing that elections cannot safely be held while Russian attacks continue.
Zelenskyy Responds to Trump’s Call for New Leadership
Trump said on Saturday that he believed it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, arguing that Zelenskyy had not done enough to reach a deal with Russia.
Responding in an interview with ABC News, Zelenskyy said Ukraine's leadership should ultimately be determined by its citizens.
“With all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy also said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted a change of leadership in Kyiv, but maintained that any decision about Ukraine's president must come from Ukrainians through an electoral process.
Zelenskyy Offers 60-Day Ceasefire for Elections
Zelenskyy proposed a specific condition for holding elections.
He said Trump's administration should ask Putin to agree to a 60-day total ceasefire, after which Ukraine would organise elections.
“Please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organise elections,” Zelenskyy told ABC's This Week.
He added that Ukraine would be ready to accept whatever choice its citizens make at the ballot box.
The proposal was reiterated by Zelenskyy on Monday during an appearance at the Warsaw Security Forum. He said Ukraine would be willing to work with its parliament on the legal arrangements required to hold elections if a complete ceasefire lasting at least 60 days could be secured.
Zelenskyy Says Elections Are Unsafe During War
Zelenskyy argued that holding elections under the current security conditions would be extremely difficult.
He said Ukraine continues to face attacks and that Russia's military operations have made it impossible to guarantee the safety of voters and the electoral process.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia is now capable of launching attacks throughout the day rather than concentrating them primarily at night, making it particularly difficult to organise nationwide voting.
His position is that a sustained ceasefire would provide the security conditions necessary for Ukraine to prepare and conduct an election.
Kremlin Rejects 60-Day Proposal
The Kremlin has rejected Zelenskyy's proposed 60-day ceasefire, saying Russia wants a longer-term peace agreement rather than a temporary pause in fighting.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Moscow's position remains focused on achieving what it describes as a lasting peace.
Peskov also indicated that Russia would be prepared to halt attacks specifically on election day, while questioning Kyiv's request for a two-month ceasefire.
The response means Zelenskyy's proposed path toward elections currently faces opposition from Moscow.
Dispute Comes Amid Energy Ceasefire Claims
The exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy comes as Washington is also attempting to establish an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump announced on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacks against energy infrastructure. However, Kyiv said it had not been informed about the announcement in advance, while the Kremlin has said discussions are continuing without publicly confirming a completed agreement.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared to respect an energy ceasefire if Russia did the same. He subsequently accused Russian forces of continuing to strike Ukrainian energy facilities after Trump's announcement.
The developments have added another layer to tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy as Washington seeks to push the two sides toward negotiations.
Elections Remain Linked to Security Conditions
Zelenskyy's latest position does not amount to an immediate announcement of an election date. Instead, he has tied the possibility of holding elections to a sustained cessation of hostilities.
For now, the Kremlin has rejected the proposed 60-day pause, while Ukraine says it remains prepared to move toward elections if the necessary security conditions can be established.
The disagreement leaves the question of Ukraine's next presidential election unresolved as the war continues.
