Kyiv dropped autumn election plan after Zaluzhnyi and Budanov refused to step aside
Plans to stage autumn wartime elections were scrapped after Valerii Zaluzhnyi and Kyrylo Budanov refused to sit out the race, NV sister outlet Ukrainska Pravda wrote on Sept. 21.
Ukraine abandoned plans for wartime elections after high-ranking officials Zaluzhnyi and Budanov declined to step aside, according to Ukrainska Pravda on September 21. A group of six key officials met with President Zelenskyy in a secure location outside Kyiv to assess the possibility of holding presidential and parliamentary elections in the autumn.
Fedorov, who remained in Zelenskyy's inner circle until 2026, argued that a political window existed due to successful strikes and positive operational results. Zelenskyy was receptive to the idea, but Zaluzhnyi's refusal to abstain and Budanov's unwillingness to participate led to the cancellation of the election plan. Fedorov suggested holding the election first, followed by parliamentary races, to shift Zelenskyy's focus from the election to his legacy.
Fedorov unveiled the electoral plan to Zelenskyy in June, emphasizing the importance of winning the war and the legitimacy of democratic elections. Despite Fedorov's public advocacy for wartime elections via video, Presidential Communications Adviser Dmytro Lytvyn dismissed the proposal, arguing that the ongoing Russian attacks made organizing an election during wartime impossible.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
