Zelenskyy plans major announcement on presidential election, referendum: report

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly readying to denote a statesmanlike predetermination and a referendum connected a imaginable bid woody to extremity the warfare with Russia, with the declaration expected connected Feb. 24, the 4th day of Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

The Financial Times, citing Ukrainian and European officials progressive successful the planning, reported connected Wednesday that some a statesmanlike vote, successful which Zelenskyy would question re-election, and a nationwide referendum could beryllium held by May 15.

The outlet said Kyiv could hazard losing projected U.S. information guarantees if it does not clasp some votes by that date.

The Financial Times noted that though earlier U.S.-imposed deadlines person travel and gone, American officials are this clip applying heavier unit connected Ukraine arsenic the November midterm elections loom.

ZELENSKYY READY TO PRESENT NEW PEACE PROPOSALS TO US AND RUSSIA AFTER WORKING WITH EUROPEAN TALKS

A enactment marks a ballot container for voters with precocious somesthesia astatine a polling presumption during the 2020 Ukrainian section elections successful Rubizhne, Luhansk Region, eastbound Ukraine, connected Oct. 25, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kovalyov Oleksiy/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

It added that the timeline could besides beryllium analyzable by the wide spread betwixt Moscow and Kyiv connected cardinal territorial issues, including power of the Donbas portion and the Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness plant, arsenic good arsenic the request for parliament to amend authorities due to the fact that martial instrumentality presently bars nationalist elections during wartime.

Zelenskyy antecedently stressed that the timing and format of immoderate elections are matters solely for Ukraine and its citizens, rejecting immoderate proposition that the Kremlin could dictate the process. 

In respective lengthy posts connected X successful December, helium argued that 2 cardinal factors would find whether voting is possible: information and legislation.

ZELENSKYY SAYS US SECURITY GUARANTEES DOCUMENT IS '100% READY' FOR SIGNING

A pistillate casts her ballot astatine a mobile polling presumption during aboriginal voting successful Russia's statesmanlike predetermination successful Donetsk, Russian-occupied Ukraine, connected March 14, 2024. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)

Zelenskyy said voting tin lone instrumentality spot connected Ukrainian-controlled territory and indispensable guarantee the information of soldiers defending the country. Elections cannot beryllium held successful Russian-occupied areas, helium explained, due to the fact that of concerns implicit however they would beryllium conducted.

He besides suggested that a ceasefire, astatine slightest for the duration of an predetermination oregon referendum, whitethorn beryllium indispensable to warrant unafraid conditions, including protected airspace and the beingness of planetary observers.

The reported deadline from the Trump medication comes aft The Associated Press reported that Washington is aiming for the warfare to extremity by June.

Ukrainian servicemen ballot astatine a polling presumption during Ukraine’s parliamentary elections successful Velyki Mosty, Lviv Oblast, connected July 21, 2019. (Mykola Tys/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Trilateral talks betwixt the United States, Russia and Ukraine were held successful Abu Dhabi successful aboriginal February, wherever the sides met doubly but emerged with lone a constricted breakthrough — agreeing to a 314-person captive exchange, the archetypal specified swap successful 5 months.

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U.S. peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington and Moscow agreed to reestablish a military-to-military dialogue, calling the transmission "crucial to achieving and maintaining peace."

He said trilateral discussions would proceed successful the coming weeks aft the delegations study backmost to their respective capitals.