By Ayomide Otitoju
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday declared his willingness to hold new national elections if security can be guaranteed amid ongoing Russian attacks, even as Kyiv prepares to send Washington revised proposals aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict.
Zelensky’s announcement followed heightened pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has urged Kyiv to accept a Washington-crafted peace plan that has drawn criticism from Ukraine’s European allies for allegedly tilting in Moscow’s favour.
Speaking to reporters after a round of consultations across European capitals, Zelensky said a revised version of Ukraine’s response to the U.S. plan would be sent within a day. “We are working today and will continue tomorrow. I think we will hand it over tomorrow,” he said.
Trump, in an interview published Tuesday, accused Zelensky of failing to review the latest U.S. proposals and claimed Russia currently holds “the upper hand” in the war. He also alleged Kyiv was “using war” as a pretext to delay elections, postponed under martial law since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian law prohibits elections during martial law, which prevented a scheduled presidential vote in March 2024. But Zelensky signalled a willingness to consider changes, saying he had asked lawmakers to draft proposals to amend the legal framework governing elections in wartime.
“I am ready for the elections,” Zelensky said. “For the vote to take place, security must be ensured,” he added, appealing to the United States and European partners for assistance in safeguarding the process amid daily Russian missile and drone strikes.
Zelensky’s recent diplomatic push has included meetings in London and Brussels, followed by talks in Italy on Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as Kyiv finalises its stance on the U.S. plan.
Washington’s initial proposals reportedly included asking Ukraine to cede parts of the Donbas region not currently under Russian control in exchange for security commitments that fall short of NATO membership — a suggestion Kyiv has firmly rejected. Zelensky said the original 28-point plan had been reduced to 20 points after consultations, but key disagreements remain, particularly on territorial concessions and long-term security guarantees.
“Do we envision ceding territories? We have no legal or moral right to do so,” Zelensky said. “The key is to know what our partners will be ready to do in the event of new aggression by Russia. At the moment, we have not received an answer.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday reiterated his claim over Donbas, calling it “our historical territory” during a televised appearance.
Trump, meanwhile, criticised European countries for what he described as insufficient support for Ukraine, saying, “They talk but they don’t produce.”
Following his meeting with Zelensky, Pope Leo XIV cautioned against sidelining Europe in peace negotiations. “The remarks made about Europe in recent interviews seem intended to divide what must remain a crucial alliance,” he said, adding that a peace agreement excluding Europe would be “unrealistic.”
“The war is in Europe, and Europe must be part of the security guarantees we are seeking today and in the future,” the pope said.
