Ukraine War, Day 1,643: Zelensky Again Rejects Elections During Russia’s Invasion

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP)

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Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, dismissed by Zelensky on July 15, called for a vote in an online video released last week.

The President told journalists on Sunday:

If we want to destroy the country, then during a war like this we can move toward elections.

Elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine. My strategy is to bring the country to the end of the war and preserve an independent and sovereign state.

Ukraine’s Constitution bars elections during martial law.

Zelensky said some partners have called for a vote, but have not offered concrete conditions under which it could be conducted safely, legitimately, and democratically.

He noted that any election would have to include military personnel, residents of frontline areas, and millions of Ukrainians living abroad. It would have to ensure voters are protected from Russian attacks.

Russia’s Ballistic Missile Threat

Emphasizing the challenge for Ukraine before winter, Zelensky said Russia has a stockpile of 600-630 high-speed ballistic missiles and is trying to build more than 100 per month.

“I wanted to secure 300 Patriot missiles for the winter package. The request from our air force is 360,” Zelensky said.

The President noted the difficulty as only about 600 of US-made PAC-3 interceptor missiles are manufactured each year. He cited an agreement with France on at least one SAMP/T air-defence system ​this year, and with ‌Germany on the supply of ​about 600 PAC-2 and PAC-3 ​interceptors in 2027-28.

After a conversation with Zelensky on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he had agreed to step up delivery of interceptor missiles.

The US could help by supplying “some small percentage” of its stockpiles – about 5% to 10%, Zelensky explained. He called on the Trump Administration to make “a very significant difference both in protecting lives and diplomatically”. Ukraine was willing to pay and it would mean the country “could get through the winter”.

Zelensky added the expectation that Russia will try to conscript a further 300,000 soldiers after Parliamentary elections in September. The “peripheral mobilisation”, conducted away from Moscow, St Petersburg, and other main cities, will try to regain momentum on stalled frontline.