Zelensky warns wartime elections could split Ukraine
Zelensky says wartime elections would divide Ukraine, while sacked former defence minister Fedorov calls for a vote.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that it would be too dangerous to hold elections in Ukraine while the country remains at war with Russia. Speaking on Ukraine's flag day, he said that holding a vote would be difficult and would divide and potentially destroy the country. His focus, he said, was on winning the war.
His warning follows repeated calls from his former defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, to hold a nationwide election. Fedorov was sacked last month after a falling out with the president, who has been in power since 2019. In an interview, Fedorov insisted that elections were a democratic necessity: "We are the only ones who will decide what we do going forward. That's what democracy is all about. If I cannot share my ideas and be open about them, then what are we fighting for?"
Fedorov denied that his push for a vote was driven by personal ambition. "It's definitely in my vested interests because I want this war to be over and Ukraine to become a successful country," he said, but he added that if he were thinking about his political future, he would not have made the statement. He also rejected suggestions of presidential corruption, saying: "In all the time that I worked with him, not a single time I received from him any tasks that would go against the law."
Fedorov, who was praised for transforming the battlefield with long-range drone strikes against Russia, described a crisis of governance, inefficiency and a loss of trust through corruption. He is heading to the United States to ask Elon Musk for extended access to the Starlink network, which Ukraine relies on for drone operations. On British support, he welcomed the supply of tanks, training and a promised 120,000 drones, but said governments were "lagging behind on the reality on the ground" and that delivery of aid needed to be faster.
Dmytro Khrushchev, the consul general of Ukraine in San Francisco, added that elections were also constitutionally barred during wartime. "Under our constitution, elections are not allowed during the war," he said. "To make it happen, it will require changes to the constitution, which the parliament has to vote, three-fourths of a parliament." He also noted that part of the country is occupied by Russia, so excluding those people from a vote would require further constitutional changes.
Khrushchev said most Ukrainians were not calling for elections. "The majority of the people are not calling for elections," he said. "The number one task everybody wants is they want a war to end." He said people's priority now was surviving a potentially difficult winter, with Russian attacks on infrastructure expected.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|
| Fedorov said he would go to the United States to meet Elon Musk to seek support for extending Starlink access into Russian airspace. | ||
| Fedorov was dismissed last month after a falling out with the president. | · | |
| Part of Ukraine is occupied by Russia, so elections cannot be conducted across the whole territory. | · | |
| The majority of Ukrainians are not calling for elections. | · | |
| Ukrainian law prevents elections during wartime unless the constitution is changed, which requires a three-fourths parliamentary vote. | · | |
| Zelensky said that holding elections would be difficult and could divide and destroy the country. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel focuses on the personal and political clash between Zelensky and Fedorov, giving extended airtime to the former defence minister's interview. It highlights his challenge to the president's position and frames the dispute as a genuine democratic debate inside wartime Ukraine. The coverage also includes Fedorov's plans to lobby the United States for more Starlink support, but it does not include the constitutional argument made by other officials.
- “If I cannot share my ideas and be open about them, then what are we fighting for?”
- “It's definitely in my vested interests because I want this war to be over and Ukraine to become a successful country.”
This channel gives a broader overview, covering the core Zelensky warning and the Fedorov interview, then extends into a live interview with Ukraine's consul general, Dmytro Khrushchev. The editorial slant is more international and institutional, adding constitutional details, public opinion, and preparation for winter. It treats the election dispute as part of a wider picture of wartime governance and democratic norms.
- “The elections under our constitutions are not allowed during the war.”
- “The majority of the people are not calling for elections. The number one task everybody wants is they want a war to end.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.