Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for presidential elections to be held while the country remains at war with Russia, warning that such a vote could deepen divisions and threaten Ukraine’s stability.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Zelenskyy described wartime elections as a “huge risk” and said they could split the country. Ukrainian law currently prohibits elections during wartime.
The debate intensified after former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov publicly called for elections, arguing that Ukraine’s democracy should not be determined by Russia. Fedorov, who was dismissed by Zelenskyy in July after only six months in office, said Kyiv was facing a “systemic crisis of governance.”
However, experts have said holding an election during the ongoing conflict would be extremely difficult because of security and logistical challenges.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to face intensified Russian attacks. Ukrainian authorities said Russian strikes killed two people and wounded two others in the eastern Donetsk region, while a drone attack in Kharkiv injured eight people, including a child.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine is focusing on targeting Russian ballistic missile launchers as Moscow increases its missile attacks. He said Ukraine had received 264 Patriot missiles in 2026, compared with 364 in 2025 and 675 in 2023.
The Ukrainian president further disclosed that Russia and China are developing an alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system, which is widely used by Ukrainian forces. He said Russia’s system could become operational by December, while Ukraine is developing a similar project with a European partner.
Zelenskyy also warned of a $27 billion defence funding gap for Ukraine this year. He said Kyiv would need at least $8 billion for the start of 2027, in addition to around $20 billion for military salaries and other payments.
Norway, meanwhile, announced plans to provide Ukraine with 85 billion Norwegian kroner, about $9.2 billion, for the 2027 fiscal year.
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