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Zelenskyy rejects wartime elections following call from dismissed defense minister

Ukraine's president warns holding a vote amid the war would divide the nation, responding to public appeals from former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 02:15 UTC9 reports

The short version

  • President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected calls to hold wartime elections, arguing that organizing a vote during the ongoing conflict would pose an enormous risk and divide Ukraine.
  • The rejection responds to public statements by former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed in July and urged the country to establish a mechanism for democratic votes despite martial law.
  • Zelenskyy also detailed defense supply shortages, including a decline in deliveries of Patriot air defense interceptors, and a $27 billion defense budget deficit.
  • The main uncertainty remains how Ukraine will address its mounting air defense deficits and whether domestic political tensions will intensify around governance and corruption inquiries.

Key facts

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that holding elections during the war would be a destructive risk that could split the country, stating no international partners have proposed a plan to conduct a poll safely and legitimately under current conditions.[Associated Press · France 24 · The Guardian]
  • Elections in Ukraine have remained suspended under martial law since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion, and Zelenskyy's original five-year presidential term ended in May 2024.[France 24 · BBC News · The Guardian]
  • Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, dismissed by Zelenskyy in July 2026, publicly called for a mechanism to hold elections, arguing democracy must not be held hostage by the war.[Deutsche Welle · CBS News · BBC News]
  • Fedorov told the BBC that Zelenskyy should address questions about potential corruption in his inner circle following an investigation into an alleged $3 million bail misappropriation scheme, while stating he personally never witnessed corrupt acts by the president.[BBC News]
  • Zelenskyy disclosed that Western deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles dropped from 675 in 2023 to 364 in 2025, with only 264 projected for 2026 despite intensifying Russian ballistic strikes.[Associated Press · France 24 · ABC News]
  • Zelenskyy linked his rift with Fedorov in part to inaccurate Defense Ministry information regarding SpaceX's willingness to allow Starlink usage over Russian territory, which led to a strained exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump.[Associated Press · PBS NewsHour · ABC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether Fedorov intends to mount a formal political campaign against Zelenskyy remains unannounced, as Fedorov has not declared explicit presidential ambitions.[CBS News · France 24 · BBC News]
  • The extent to which Western allies can close Ukraine's requested 300-to-360 Patriot missile winter shortfall remains unclear due to global production constraints and competing U.S. military priorities.[France 24 · The Guardian · ABC News]

Sources