Zelensky says Ukraine can hold elections after a 60-day ceasefire

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine could organize elections if Russia agrees to a full 60-day ceasefire, responding to Donald Trump’s call for new leadership in Kyiv.

Speaking in an interview with ABC News, Zelensky rejected the idea that Ukraine’s leader should be chosen under outside pressure and said only Ukrainian citizens could decide the country’s political future. His comments came after Trump sharply criticized Kyiv’s strikes on Russian oil refineries and suggested that Ukraine should elect a leader capable of making a deal.

Zelensky sets a ceasefire condition

Zelensky said Ukraine would be ready to hold elections if Russia accepted a complete pause in fighting for 60 days.

“Please tell Putin: give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, and we will organize elections,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president added that Kyiv would be ready to accept the choice of the Ukrainian people. His message was aimed both at Moscow and Washington, after Trump argued that Ukraine needed political change to move toward a settlement.

Ukraine has not held national elections during the full-scale war, citing martial law, security risks, millions of displaced citizens and the difficulty of allowing soldiers and occupied territories to participate safely.

Trump criticized refinery strikes

Trump had earlier accused Zelensky of worsening global diesel supply problems by continuing attacks on Russian fuel infrastructure.

According to Trump, he had warned Ukraine not to target Russian diesel refineries, arguing that such strikes were contributing to fuel market pressure. He said Zelensky “would be better off stopping” those attacks and claimed Ukraine should have made a deal earlier.

The remarks intensified tensions between Washington and Kyiv at a sensitive moment, as the Trump administration has been pushing for a limited ceasefire arrangement covering energy infrastructure and fuel supply.

Kyiv links refinery strikes to Russian attacks

Zelensky defended Ukraine’s position by saying Kyiv’s strikes on Russian refineries were a response to Moscow’s attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

He said Ukraine would stop targeting Russian oil facilities if Russia stopped striking Ukrainian power plants, energy networks and civilian infrastructure. The Ukrainian position is that any energy ceasefire must be reciprocal, verifiable and respected by Moscow.

Kyiv has repeatedly argued that Russian energy strikes are designed to weaken Ukraine ahead of winter by damaging electricity generation, heating systems and grid stability.

Trump announced an energy ceasefire

Trump recently announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to what he called an “energy ceasefire,” saying it would take effect immediately. The proposed arrangement would halt attacks on energy infrastructure, including power plants, refineries and related facilities.

However, the practical details of the announcement remain unclear. It was not immediately confirmed how the ceasefire would be monitored, what targets would be covered, or what penalties would follow if either side violated the arrangement.

Zelensky’s latest remarks suggest that Kyiv is not rejecting the idea in principle, but wants Moscow to commit to a broader and more reliable pause in attacks.

Russian diesel deal adds pressure

The dispute also comes after Trump said he had reached an arrangement with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to supply large volumes of diesel fuel to the United States and global markets.

Trump said Russia would immediately provide more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by additional deliveries in November and later shipments depending on refinery capacity. The announcement triggered political debate because critics argue such a deal could benefit Moscow while the war continues.

Zelensky pushed back against blaming Ukraine for fuel price pressures, saying wider regional conflicts and global market dynamics were also driving prices.

Election debate enters the war diplomacy

The election issue has become part of the broader diplomatic struggle over how to end the war. Trump has argued that Ukraine needs leadership willing to make a deal, while Zelensky says elections cannot be safely held under bombardment and occupation.

Zelensky’s 60-day ceasefire proposal appears designed to shift the question back to Russia: if Moscow wants elections in Ukraine, he said, it must first stop the war long enough for a credible vote to take place.

For Kyiv, the central issue is not only the date of an election, but whether citizens, soldiers, refugees and displaced voters can participate without fear, pressure or exclusion.

Next step depends on Moscow

The next stage will depend on whether Russia accepts any form of full ceasefire, energy ceasefire or monitored pause in attacks. So far, Moscow has often demanded wider political and territorial concessions before agreeing to long-term arrangements.

Zelensky’s comments leave the door open to elections, but only under conditions that Kyiv says would protect voters and preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty.

For now, the war, the energy infrastructure campaign and the diplomatic pressure from Washington remain closely linked.

WiseNewsPress.com