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By MARK NICOL DIPLOMACY EDITOR
Published: | Updated:
Volodymyr Zelensky last night blasted suggestions he would use the fourth anniversary of Russia‘s invasion to announce plans for a referendum on a peace deal.
Sources in Kyiv had suggested the vote, alongside presidential elections, would meet a key White House request.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on President Zelensky to give his countrymen the chance to vote on their leader, with previous elections cancelled due to the war.
The expected announcement on February 24 would have given Ukrainian negotiators little time to confirm security guarantees from the US.
But last night Mr Zelensky said he had no such plans while Vladimir Putin continued his invasion. In a post on X, he wrote: ‘February 24 is a special date.
‘Even if there were an intention or relevant steps toward bringing certain elections forward, I believe it would be an utterly stupid idea to use such a date to talk about politics. This is a very serious date – four years of war.
‘It’s a large number of people who have defended our state and given their lives. And it is since February 24 that our people have been defending their country every day. I could never do such a thing. Therefore, February 24 cannot be used to announce any elections – any elections at all.
‘As for announcing elections in general, I’ll repeat: first security, then politics. We can move toward elections when all the relevant security guarantees are in place.
Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference with the prime minister of Poland in Kyiv on February 5
Firefighters battle flames after a building in the city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine was hit by Russian drones on February 3
Join the debate
Should Ukraine hold elections during wartime, or wait until peace and security are restored?
‘The issue of elections has been raised by various partners. Ukraine itself has never raised it. But of course, we are ready for elections. It’s very simple to do: establish a ceasefire – and there will be elections. Meaning, it is a matter of security.’
Mr Zelensky also confirmed the country was reviewing its air defences following the pounding Ukraine has suffered in recent weeks. His defiance came as a Russian drone crashed into a house, killing four members of the same family.
Local prosecutors said it hit the residential building late on Tuesday in Bohodukhiv, near Kharkiv. The victims were two boys aged two, a one-year-old girl and a 34-year-old man.
The children’s pregnant mother was the sole survivor.
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