Zelensky says he is ready for new elections as Kyiv prepares revised response to US peace plan

Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said that he is ready to hold new national elections in Ukraine and expects to deliver updated Ukrainian proposals to Washington within a day.

The confirmation came from Zelensky after returning from a rapid series of consultations with European leaders aimed at coordinating a joint position. “We are working today (Tuesday) and will continue tomorrow (Wednesday). I think we will hand it over tomorrow,” he told reporters, AFP reported.

His comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes Kyiv to accept a deal drawn up by Washington, an initial version that several of Ukraine’s allies criticised for leaning too far toward Russian interests. In a new interview with Politico, Trump said Russia had “the upper hand” in the conflict and accused Zelensky of avoiding elections during wartime. “You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore,” Trump said.

Ukrainian law bars elections under martial law, which has been in place since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. But Zelensky, responding to Trump’s remarks, said he is ready to move ahead. “I am ready for the elections,” he said, noting he has asked parliament to draft “proposals regarding the possibility of amending the legislative foundations and the law on elections during martial law.”

Zelensky has spent recent days in London, Brussels and Rome, meeting European leaders, Pope Leo XIV, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as Ukraine works through Washington’s plan.

Zelenskyy has said that US proposal was reduced from 28 points to 20 after negotiations over the weekend. Two sticking points remain central - territorial concessions and security guarantees.

The US outline involves Ukraine giving up the entire Donbas region, even areas not currently held by Russian forces, in exchange for security commitments that stop short of the NATO membership Kyiv seeks. Zelensky dismissed the idea outright. “Do we envision ceding territories? We have no legal right to do so, under Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law. And we don't have any moral right either,” he said.

He added that Kyiv still has no clarity on how partners would respond to any future Russian attack. “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 any answer to this question,” he said.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his claim to eastern Ukraine during a televised appearance, calling the Donbas “our historical territory, absolutely.”

Meanwhile, US President Trump has been oscillating between criticising and praising Ukraine since he returned to power in January. He has often criticised Trump for insufficient gratitude.

The US president has also expressed irritation over the fact that outreach to Putin has not progressed. In the Politico interview, he also took aim at European allies, saying: “They talk but they don't produce.”

Meloni, who has tried to position herself as a mediator between Trump and Europe, remains firmly supportive of Ukraine. Italy continues to send weapons limited to targets inside Ukraine’s borders, and Meloni has rejected proposals from Britain and France to deploy troops for a monitoring mission.

Her government postponed a decision last week on renewing military aid beyond December 31, amid questions from coalition partner Matteo Salvini about whether continued support is necessary while negotiations are underway. Meloni, however, said Italy’s stance remains unchanged, “As long as there's a war, we'll do what we can, as we've always done to help Ukraine defend itself.”