Trump urges Ukraine to hold elections though nation's constitution bans them during war

President Donald Trump said Monday that Ukraine ought to move forward with national elections, arguing that the country is reaching a stage “where it’s not a democracy anymore.” His comments came during an interview with Politico reporter Dasha Burns, where he questioned Kyiv’s decision to maintain its wartime suspension of voting.

Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Under the country’s constitution, elections cannot take place during such a period. In normal times, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s term would have ended in May 2024, and the Ukrainian parliament’s term would have expired in August.

“I think it’s time. I think it’s an important time to hold an election,” Trump said, adding that Ukrainian leaders are “using war not to hold an election.” He said the Ukrainian public “should have that choice.”

Trump also addressed comments made by Donald Trump Jr., who suggested over the weekend that the administration might be preparing to distance itself from Ukraine. “It’s not correct. But it’s not exactly wrong,” the president said. Trump said that any agreement with Russia would require cooperation from Kyiv. “If they don’t read agreements, potential agreements, you know, it’s not easy with Russia because Russia has the upper hand.”
 

“We have to, you know, they have to play ball,” the president continued to say. “If they, if they don’t read agreements, potential agreements, you know, it’s not easy with Russia because Russia has the upper, upper hand. And they always did. They’re much bigger. They’re much stronger in that sense.

“I give the people of Ukraine and the military of Ukraine tremendous credit for the, you know, bravery and for the fighting and all of that,” Trump said. “But you know, at some point, size will win, generally.”

Trump also said that Zelensky has not reviewed a proposal the administration shared with Ukrainian officials. “It would be nice if he would read it,” he said. “A lot of people are dying. So it would be really good if he’d read it.  His people loved the proposal. They really liked it. His lieutenants, his top people, they liked it, but they said he hasn’t read it yet. I think he should find time to read it.”

“He’s gonna have to get on the ball and start accepting things,” Trump said elsewhere in the interview. “You know, when you’re losing, because he’s losing.”

“He’s gonna have to get on the ball and start accepting things,” Trump said. “You know, when you’re losing, because he’s losing.”