Ukraine is considering holding elections and lifting martial law in 2025 - Economist
The Economist writes that the ceasefire and the lifting of martial law in Ukraine may be on 20 January 2025, and presidential elections may be held on 25 May 2025.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the publication's material.
"Will he (US President-elect Donald Trump - ed.) be able to impose a truce? Will there be elections? At the moment, there are two dates on the minds of Kyiv politicians: 20 January 2025, the date of Mr Trump's inauguration, the first moment for any possible ceasefire and lifting of martial law, and 25 May, the earliest date for elections that is being discussed," the newspaper writes.
The preparatory process for the elections has already begun
As noted, the Presidential Office denies preparations for the election. Most of the publication's sources are sceptical about this, in particular because of the organisation and legitimacy of the process.
However, according to The Economist, the preparatory process has already begun: regional election headquarters are being mobilised and work on candidate lists is underway.
The journalists note that representatives of "one of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's likely competitors" in the presidential election say that Ukraine needs elections, but "they are afraid to make public statements about this because of a possible harsh reaction from the Presidential Office".
"If the election were held tomorrow, Mr Zelenskyy would find it difficult to repeat the success of the landslide victory he won in 2019. Almost three years after the Russian invasion, he is no longer perceived as the unchallenged military leader he once was," the article says.
Zelenskyy to fight for power
Internal polls seen by The Economist suggest that Zelenskyy will have a poor chance of defeating Valeriy Zaluzhnyy in the second round.
The former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who is now the ambassador to the UK, has not yet made his political ambitions clear, although many are calling for him to run for office.
The president has better chances when he is pitted against other opposition figures. But one of the interlocutors says that the best move for Zelenskyy would be to step aside: "Zelenskyy has only one way out to come out with an untarnished reputation. This is to hold elections (without him) and go down in history as the man who united the nation during the war."
The alternative is the risk of being associated with a military collapse or partial peace, The Economist writes.
"As the newly elected US President Donald Trump takes office, Ukraine is preparing for changes. There are now fears that Trump's offer to Ukraine will resemble something similar to the ideas put forward by his future Vice President J.D. Vance. They essentially rule out NATO membership, while allowing Russia to maintain control over 18% of Ukraine's territory, which is currently under occupation," the article says.
"Despite all the talk in Kyiv and other capitals about the end of the war, most of those who spend time on the front line understand that many battles are still to come. The initiative belongs to Vladimir Putin, and it is unlikely that he will offer a truce until several battles are resolved," the newspaper concludes.
