In a parallel world, today would mark the day for Ukraine's elections. In a year when billions have the chance to cast their votes, the people here would be delivering their judgment on President Volodymyr Zelensky's term.
Five years ago, the man known for his talents as an actor, comedian, and producer, which made him a household name in Ukraine, was propelled into office. However, with Russian forces still present and millions of Ukrainians displaced, fighting, or living overseas, there are no signs of an election on the horizon. Some US Republicans argue that the upcoming expiration of Zelensky’s term in May is a reason to withhold military aid.
Zelensky himself has expressed openness to the idea, but he has recently made it clear that he does not believe it is feasible or advisable for the country. While Sunday is the constitutionally designated voting day in Ukraine, the constitution also prohibits elections during wartime. The alternative would be to suspend martial law for the election period.
On a chilly Friday afternoon at Kyiv's Maidan square, with overcast skies and an impending hailstorm, Mykola Lyapin, a 21-year-old student, takes a smoke break before the rain arrives. He would have voted for Zelensky five years ago and would do so again now. He is confident that when the time comes, the president will step down if needed. “Our people are free, and we proved it in 2014, when we were dissatisfied with President Yanukovych. We came here to the Maidan, some even lost their lives, but we achieved what we wanted. It is in our genes to defend our position. If the people really believe Zelensky has been running the country for too long a time, we will solve it, even if the war is ongoing.”
Just up the hill, in a bookshop that sells Jamie Oliver cookbooks among other titles, 42-year-old psychologist Kateryna Bilokon chats with a friend in the small café at the front of the shop. She voted for Zelensky in 2019 and is pleased with his performance. She is against holding an election due to the expense. “It would be a drain on the state budget; it would be better to redirect funds to arm our military,” she says, adding, “There is no one who could replace Zelensky at the moment.”
Opinion polls indicate little interest among Ukrainians for an election, with just 15% of respondents telling the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology last month that the country should hold one. President Zelensky, in an interview on Ukrainian television last August, appeared sympathetic to the idea of holding a poll. “There is a logic to it. If you are defending democracy, then you must think about this defense, even in a time of war. Elections are one of those defenses,” he said. However, he later stated, “Now is not the right time for elections,” and his position has remained unchanged.
Recent months have been challenging for Ukraine on the battlefield. As the US Congress continues to debate new military aid, some Republicans have linked elections in Ukraine to the discussion. Despite previously advocating for aid, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham now shares the consensus among Ukrainians that the country should focus on improving the situation before holding elections. “Everyone I spoke with said you need to get this war in a better place before you have elections. That makes sense to me, having been on the ground,” he said.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of Ukraine’s Parliament, explained the government's position, emphasizing that it would be impossible to ensure that all eligible voters could cast their ballots. He pointed to the seven million people who have left Ukraine and the several million who have been internally displaced. Additionally, facilitating voting in the temporarily occupied territories under Russian control would be impractical and could be seen as abandonment by some.
Another challenging group to include in the election process would be the armed forces, especially those in combat positions on the front line. “It would be unfair to deprive the right to vote in the elections for soldiers who are defending the independence of our country at the cost of their lives and health,” Stefanchuk said.
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