Some Western politicians are pressuring Ukraine to hold elections despite war, - Washington Post
Despite Russia’s war in Ukraine and martial law, some Western politicians are pushing Kyiv to hold parliamentary and presidential elections.
The Washington Post writes about it, Censor.NET informs.
"This perspective made many Ukrainian officials "scratch the back of their heads," American journalists note.
The proposal, originally put forward by Dutch President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Tinie Cox, was also pushed by Senator Lindsey O. Graham during a visit to Kyiv last month along with Senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren. Other Republicans have also taken up the cause, including conservative commentators such as Tucker Carlson, who falsely accused Zelensky of nullifying the election. The Constitution of Ukraine prohibits elections under martial law.
Holding free and fair elections in wartime is virtually impossible and also reckless, according to Ukrainian officials, election experts, and supporters of democracy. Currently, approximately one-fifth of the territory of Ukraine is occupied by Russian troops. Millions of Ukrainians are displaced, many of them live outside the country. Tens of thousands of soldiers are thrown to the front.
The pressure to hold elections, despite such obstacles, underscores the persistent demands by some in the West that Ukraine prove its commitment to democracy, even as Ukrainians have twice risen in mass pro-democracy demonstrations - during the Orange Revolution of 2003-4 and the Maidan Revolution of 2013-14 years
Ukrainian officials say that there are significant financial, logistical, and legal hurdles to overcome to hold a wartime vote. In private conversations, some say that such a prospect is completely impossible and could give Moscow forces a means to infiltrate Ukraine and weaken it from within.
"The Russians insist on this through their secret channels," said a Ukrainian official in the security apparatus, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the topic. "There is no scenario in which democratic elections can be held during wartime."
The official said that holding the election could give Russia an opportunity to manipulate and create divisions in Ukrainian society and the environment. "It's risky, bad for the country, and pointless from a political point of view," the official said, adding: "It will undermine the very fragile political stability of the Ukrainian state."
