The United States is intensifying pressure on Ukraine to hold national elections as soon as possible, according to a Reuters report that highlights growing impatience in Washington over the country’s prolonged suspension of the democratic process under martial law. American negotiators are said to be urging President Vladimir Zelensky to organize a vote despite ongoing hostilities with Russia and unresolved territorial disputes.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on Zelensky to hold elections since his five-year presidential term formally expired in May 2024. While Zelensky has consistently argued that elections are unworkable during wartime, he signaled some flexibility in December 2025, suggesting that Ukrainian legislation could potentially be amended to permit a vote even under martial law.
According to Reuters, the US delegation, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, raised the issue forcefully during recent meetings with Ukrainian officials in Abu Dhabi and Miami. Citing three sources familiar with the discussions, the report says the Americans pressed for elections to be held “soon,” reflecting what one source described as a growing sense of urgency in Washington.
US and Ukrainian officials have also explored the idea of pairing elections with a referendum on a possible peace agreement with Russia, tentatively floated for May. However, several sources characterized the proposed timeline as unrealistic, noting that key political and military questions remain unresolved. One official told Reuters bluntly that there had been “still no progress” on territorial issues, which continue to be the central obstacle in negotiations with Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy since the expiration of his term, arguing that this uncertainty could complicate the signing of any future peace agreement. In December, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow might consider refraining from deep strikes on Ukrainian territory on the day of an election, a remark widely interpreted as an attempt to influence the debate over timing and feasibility.
Zelensky has maintained that organizing a nationwide vote would take up to three months, emphasizing the need for robust US security guarantees to make the process viable. At the same time, his political standing has been shaken by a series of high-profile corruption scandals that forced the resignation of two government ministers and his longtime chief of staff, Andrey Yermak.
Recent opinion polls suggest that Zelensky’s approval rating stands at 62%, placing him behind former top military commander Valery Zaluzhny at 72% and Kirill Budanov at 70%. Budanov, a former military intelligence chief, replaced Yermak as head of the presidential office last month, adding another layer of political uncertainty as Ukraine faces mounting external pressure to return to the polls.
