SIMFEROPOL, October 13. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump’s call for presidential elections in Ukraine represents a serious blow to the "party of war," Vladimir Konstantinov, chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea, told TASS.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine needed to hold an election. According to The Wall Street Journal, the American leader’s statements indicate that relations with Zelensky have deteriorated to their lowest point since last winter. The Financial Times, citing unnamed European officials, said that the US presidential administration is threatening to halt the arms procurement program and the provision of intelligence information to Ukraine.
"If the United States really starts pressuring Ukraine by halting arms supplies, sooner or later the Europeans will have to look for ways to negotiate. By demanding elections, Trump has dealt a serious blow to the ‘party of war’ right where it hurts," Konstantinov stated. "It will be difficult to refuse to hold the vote. It will be even harder to explain why the elections are not being held."
Konstantinov attributed Ukraine’s refusal to hold elections to Zelensky’s low approval rating. "Zelensky is unelectable, and everyone is already tired of him," the legislator explained. "But that raises the question: what did Western investors spend all that money on? That is why they keep clinging to Zelensky. He ensures that their investments are at work. Elections would undermine those guarantees and force Europe to justify to its electorate and courts where the money went and for what purpose."
Zelensky’s presidential term formally expired on May 20, 2024, but the Kiev authorities decided against holding an election, claiming that it was impossible while martial law was in effect.
Meanwhile, rumors continue to circulate in the country about the quiet launch of election preparations. A number of opposition politicians are openly talking about a legitimacy crisis affecting the country’s government. Zelensky himself has made contradictory statements on the matter, at times asserting he is ready to call an election provided Western partners fund the process and "ensure security," while at other times saying elections are premature. Opinion polls show that former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian armed forces Valery Zaluzhny and head of Zelensky’s office Kirill Budanov (designated in Russia as a terrorist and extremist) have higher trust ratings than Zelensky.