“Ready to step down as President, but…” Zelensky makes a major announcement amid war against Russia

In an interview, Zelensky said that he does not intend to lead his country in peacetime. He also said that if there is a ceasefire with Russia, he will ask the Ukrainian Parliament to hold elections. When asked if he would consider his work finished once the war ends, Zelensky said he is ready to step down.

Kyiv: Amid the nearly four-year-long war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a major announcement. He stated clearly that he is ready to step down as President once the war against Russia ends.

Zelensky said that his goal is to end the war and he does not want to remain in office after that.

"If there is a ceasefire, I will hold elections"

In an interview, Zelensky said that he does not intend to lead his country in peacetime. He also said that if there is a ceasefire with Russia, he will ask the Ukrainian Parliament to hold elections. When asked if he would consider his work finished once the war ends, Zelensky said he is ready to step down.

He said, "My goal is to end the war, not to continue the race for office." Elections in Ukraine have been postponed indefinitely due to the war, and many critics, including President Donald Trump, have raised the issue. Zelensky said that both the security situation and Ukraine's constitution pose challenges to holding elections. But he believes elections are possible.

Tell Trump His Heart

Zelensky gave this interview in New York just before returning to Kyiv from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). When asked if he would commit to holding elections if a ceasefire of several months is agreed upon, he replied in the affirmative. Zelensky said that when he met with President Trump on Tuesday, he told him, "If a ceasefire is reached, we can use this time period and I can give this signal to the parliament."

Zelensky said that he understands that the people want a leader with a new mandate who can make the necessary decisions to establish lasting peace. He said that holding elections would be difficult at this time due to security concerns, but he believes it can be done.

Term already ends in May 2024

Ukrainian President Zelensky was elected by a landslide in 2019. If war had not broken out against Russia, his five-year term would have ended in May 2024. His popularity had risen to nearly 90% in the early months of the war. In February, Trump claimed it had dropped to 4%, but most recent surveys show it well above 60%.

Zelensky faced domestic opposition in July when his parliamentary allies moved to weaken Ukraine's independent anti-corruption agencies. Although the move was quickly reversed, it certainly raised concerns about Ukraine's democratic progress under Zelensky's leadership.

Restrictions on holding elections amid war

If Zelensky supports a bill to hold elections, it will likely pass easily given his party's large majority in parliament. The fact is that the Ukrainian Constitution explicitly prohibits elections during martial law. Even if that were overcome, the security situation would make logistical arrangements extremely difficult.

Approximately 20% of Ukraine is under Russian occupation, and millions of Ukrainians are displaced. If Moscow attempts to disrupt the process, the entire country would be vulnerable to Russian attacks. Zelensky said, "I think that the security arrangements during a ceasefire could provide the possibility of holding elections, it could be possible."