What's wrong with Zelenskyy's peace plan?

The key issue that caught my attention is elections. Zelenskyy's team is indeed thinking about them, and Speaker Stefanchuk's statement about "one-time legislation" for holding elections is by no means a gaffe that accidentally slipped out.

On one hand, the demand for elections was put to Ukraine by American partners. It sounds simple — after the lifting of martial law — presidential elections. Parliamentary and local elections, despite also being needed — have not been discussed yet.

Zelenskyy noted at a closed meeting with journalists that after signing an agreement, Ukraine could hold presidential elections in a shortened timeframe (60–90 days) provided there is security.

"In order to remove any speculation that I might not want peace in order to retain power, I said: please, I am ready for a campaign, but peace first. No one is clinging to the chair," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized more than once.

"So, the key here is signing at least some kind of peace agreement. But there's a nuance — Zelenskyy understands that these 20 points he announced are, to put it mildly, not a victory for Ukraine. And therefore, in his rhetoric, a desire to shift responsibility sounded. He said that a peace agreement must be ratified by parliament or a referendum."

Although Zelenskyy, as the holder of a law degree, should have opened the law on referendums, already improved by his mono-majority — and read there that the subject of a referendum cannot be issues "aimed at liquidating Ukraine's independence, violating state sovereignty, territorial integrity of Ukraine...".

There is also a point that is being massively discussed in Ukrainian society. A referendum in Diia is also impossible, because the law says that everyone "exercises their right to vote by submitting a ballot on paper or through electronic voting in the manner determined by law".

So Zelenskyy is looking for a way to wash his hands and go to quick presidential elections as white and fluffy, where he still has some chance, but may cease to have one if his own hand signs an unfavorable truce. Especially since in his entourage there are such drones as Mykhailo Podolyak, who publicly in fresh statements say that Volodymyr Oleksandrovych should run for president for a second term. Everything is clear here — because who else would need such characters at work.

Zelenskyy suggested that for elections, a special state will probably be needed, "while troops are withdrawing, not withdrawing".

"What to do with mobilization in such a case — not conduct it, transform it, or not do it partially and partially demobilize people? But most importantly — not lose the army for some period, not lose positions. This is very dangerous," Zelenskyy added.

Why did the president pay the most attention to elections, and not the fate of Donbas or the Russian-occupied ZNPP, where Russians and Americans are already seeking to mine crypto?

Various polling agencies generously publish new research figures on whom Ukrainians want to see as president and generally in the Rada. The fresh one is very sad for Zelenskyy. He makes it to the second round, but there he loses to Zaluzhnyi or Budanov. In parliamentary layouts it's even worse — there the small Ze-party will be surrounded on all sides by either Zaluzhnyi's faction, or Budanov's, or Biletskyi's. And Poroshenko nearby will instill fear.

"Fear of his own future, uncertainty about what exactly Zelenskyy will do after leaving politics, finally — fears that the corruption of the Ze-entourage will drown him too, pushes the president to a new twist and turn. How to maneuver through elections again and bear no responsibility for preparation for war and a series of dubious decisions already in the role of Commander-in-Chief."

Preparation for these elections for Zelenskyy is already in full swing. The fresh leak by deputy with a specific mentality Maryana Bezuhla is aimed precisely at discrediting Zaluzhnyi — the Bankova-friendly politician writes about how vile that ambassador to Britain is, who went on a short vacation to the seaside.

The goal of all these leaks is to knock down the general's ratings or to discourage him from going into politics definitively. However, Zelenskyy's advisors still haven't understood that there are demands of history that cannot be stopped. And the country has already frankly had enough comedians and series. So the next president will be in camouflage — and his surname here is a secondary question.

Specially for Espreso

About the author: Maryna Danyliuk-Yarmolaeva, journalist, editor-in-chief of espreso.tv.

The editorial office does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.