On Wednesday, the Financial Times reported that Ukraine is preparing plans to hold a presidential election alongside a national referendum on a potential peace agreement with Russia. The move comes amid pressure from the U.S. to expedite negotiations to end the war.
RELATED:
Ukraine Involved in Attempted Assassination of Top Russian Military Intelligence Official
“The Americans are proposing that the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer, and they will likely exert pressure on the parties in line with this timetable,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters last week.
According to the FT report, Ukraine’s parliament would introduce legal changes in March and April to allow voting under wartime conditions. The country remains under martial law, which currently prohibits national elections.
Zelensky intends to announce the election and referendum plans on Feb. 24, the fourth anniversary of the start of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the FT report said, citing officials involved in the planning.
The second round of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Both sides agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failed to achieve substantive breakthroughs on core issues such as territorial arrangements and a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament overwhelmingly backed a key financial aid package for Ukraine. A total of 90 billion euros (US$107 billion) in loans will fund Ukraine’s budget.
The loan is aimed at covering two-thirds of Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026 and 2027, according to media reports.
