Zelenskyy set to reveal plan for elections and peace referendum on 24 February – Reuters

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly set to announce a plan for presidential elections on 24 February, alongside a referendum on a peace agreement with Russia.

Source: Reuters, citing the Financial Times, which spoke with Ukrainian and European officials involved in the planning

Quote from Reuters: "Ukraine has now begun planning presidential elections alongside a referendum on a prospective peace deal with Russia, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday."

Details: Reuters reported last week that any peace deal would be put to a referendum in Ukraine under a framework agreement being discussed by American and Ukrainian negotiators.

It was also noted that Ukrainian voters would cast ballots in the national elections at the same time.

Officials reportedly discussed the possibility of holding both the elections and the referendum in May.

Background:

• Recent polls show that most Ukrainians oppose elections being held before the end of hostilities.
• The majority of Ukrainians also reject proposals of the entire Donbas region being handed over to Russian control in exchange for security guarantees from the US and Europe.
• However, 55% of Ukrainians support a referendum being held on a peace agreement to end the war with Russia, while 32% are against it. Meanwhile, the Civil Network OPORA, a Ukrainian think tank, reiterated that the current law prohibits referendums during martial law, as it is impossible under such conditions to ensure the participation of millions of Ukrainians abroad, as well as military personnel, to mitigate all security threats and disinformation campaigns, and to fully restore the damaged electoral infrastructure. Even if the hostilities were to cease, preparing for such a referendum would require considerable time and complex reforms.

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