Ukraine will hold elections if Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to a 60-day ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with ABC News journalist Jonathan Karl.
Ukrainians themselves should decide when to vote and whom to elect, Zelensky said. “On this question, I know that Putin wanted very much to change the president in Ukraine.”
And if President Trump really wants to have some changes in — during elections, I also shared it with his team. So please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days off. Total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections. Of course, we will be ready for any choice of our people, exactly Ukrainian people.
A day earlier, Trump suggested to reporters that Ukraine “get a new president” who could “make a deal.” “You know what I suggest? I suggest [Ukrainians] get a new leader who could make a deal because he could’ve made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Trump said.
Trump also criticized Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying the U.S. had told Zelensky he “could do whatever [he] want[s] to Russia” but should not strike oil refineries, calling that a “world problem.” The next day, Zelensky said Kyiv would halt attacks on Russian oil refineries only if Moscow stopped striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
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