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When could Ukraine hold elections after the war? Lawyer explains

Kate Kikot
4 February, 2025 Tuesday
21:30

Andriy Mahera, a lawyer and constitutional law expert at the Center of Policy and Legal Reform, said that if the hostilities stop, Ukraine needs 6 months to prepare for the elections

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He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

“Let's imagine hypothetically that there are no active hostilities in Ukraine, no missile attacks, a peace agreement or truce has been signed, there are no serious risks, and martial law has been lifted. In this case, this does not mean that this will be immediately followed by the automatic demobilization of Ukrainian servicemen. This requires a certain period of time. I don't know how long it will take before our servicemen are demobilized, but it will definitely not happen overnight,” Mahera said.

The lawyer emphasized that if the elections are held without observance of universal electoral law, then there may be questions about the trust of our partners in the results of such elections.

“According to various election experts, Ukraine needs sufficient time to prepare for the elections. It should be at least 6 months. At the same time, I understand that there will be a demand from society for immediate elections. Obviously, in such a situation we will have nowhere to go. If we are given 2-3 months to prepare for the elections, instead of just one month, we will be able to properly prepare for this process. It is simply not possible to prepare for the election process in a month. It will not be of high quality. If we fail to adhere to the principles of universal suffrage, then there will be a question of trust in the results of such elections,” he explained.

  • On February 1, it was reported that the United States wants Ukraine to hold elections, possibly by the end of the year, especially if Kyiv can negotiate a truce with Russia in the coming months.
  • “Most democratic countries hold elections during wartime. I think it is important. I think it's good for democracy. That's the beauty of a strong democracy, you potentially have more than one person,” explained Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg.
  • On February 4, Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, said in an interview with Suspilne that the United States had not discussed with Ukraine the possibility of holding elections by the end of 2025. At the same time, Kyiv is ready to discuss the issue if the new White House administration raises it.
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