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Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that elections the US has pressed Ukraine to hold by May 15 can only take place two months after a ceasefire is declared, to ensure voters have adequate security.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, the Ukrainian president said: “Give us two months of ceasefire. We will go to elections . . . That’s it. Give us ceasefire. Give us security infrastructure.”
He added that he would be willing to compromise on turning some territory into “free economic zones” in exchange for aid in reconstructing the country when the war ends.
His remarks underscored the gap between Kyiv and Washington over the sequencing of steps towards a peace settlement as the White House piles pressure on negotiators to conclude talks by the spring.
The FT reported this week that Ukraine has begun to plan to hold presidential elections alongside a referendum on any peace deal with Russia. The Trump administration has been pushing Kyiv to hold both votes by the middle of May or risk losing US security guarantees.
Zelenskyy said on Saturday that US and European security assurances for Kyiv had to be agreed before any peace settlement was reached to end the war, which has been raging for almost four years.
But the White House has indicated to Kyiv that US security guarantees are contingent on agreeing the broader peace deal. That would probably also involve ceding the whole of the Donbas region to Russia, including territory not currently occupied by Moscow’s troops.
Addressing the US proposal to create a free economic zone in Ukrainian territory, Zelenskyy said: “There are 200,000 people there . . . We can’t just run away. But we are ready to speak about this free economic zone.” It could be “important” in securing “compromises” to reconstruct Ukraine, he added.
He added, to rousing applause from the audience in the conference hall, that “we are ready to give Russia a ceasefire if they hold free elections too”.
Zelenskyy framed his position as consistent with discussions under way with western partners.
“We have strong agreements ready to sign with the United States and with Europe. We think that the agreement on security guarantees should come before any agreement to end the war,” he said.