Zelensky wants to ‘hold wartime elections in Ukraine’ next year, but needs financial assistance from allies

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he wants to hold “wartime elections in Ukraine” next year, but warned there are too many obstacles.

President Zelensky said in an interview with Natalya Moseychuk that following a meeting with US Senator Lindsey Graham that wartime elections should take place next year.

However, to hold the elections Ukraine will need to take 5 billion from their budget, but this money is needed for the war effort.

Zelensky is asking for the US and Europe to provide financial support to hold the elections in 2024.

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President Zelensky said, “My answer is very simple. And Lindsey was very pleased with it. If our parliamentarian is ready, then why not? As then we need changes to the legislation, to the electoral code. Do it quickly.

“One. If, as I told him, you are ready give me 5 billion, because I am not a person who deals with paving stones, and I can’t just take 5 billion from the budget, but it seems to me that this is the amount needed to hold elections in normal times.

“In the military, I don’t know what that amount is. Therefore, I told him if the United States, together with Europe, gives us financial support and I don’t ask for anything, I won’t hold elections on credit, I won’t take money from weapons and give it to the elections either. And this is provided for by law.”

He added, “I told him [Graham] if the United States and Europe give us financial support… I’m sorry, I will not hold elections on credit, I will not take money from weapons and give it to elections either.

“But if you give me this financial support, if the parliamentarians realize that we need to do this, then let’s quickly change the legislation and, most importantly, let’s take risks together. Observers should be in the trenches.

“I told him, observers must be sent to the frontline so that the elections are legitimate for us and for the whole world. And this is absolutely fair.”