Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is "weighing" whether it will be possible to hold presidential elections next year given Russia's invasion, his foreign minister said Friday, Nov. 3.
All elections including the presidential vote set to take place next spring are technically cancelled under martial law that has been in effect since the war began.
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"I think there is no other country in the world that would be even considering holding elections against the background of such a large-scale invasion," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told a conference.
"But, we are not closing this page. The President of Ukraine is considering, and weighing different pros and cons," he said.
He cautioned that elections would be difficult to hold due to the large number of Ukrainians abroad and soldiers fighting on the front.
Kuleba also said he feared polling stations could become a "perfect target" for Russian drones or missile strikes.
Parliamentary elections that would have taken place last month were also cancelled due to the war.
Zelensky, who was elected in 2019, said in September he was "ready" to hold elections if it was necessary and was in favour of allowing international observers to the vote.
The Ukrainian leader's approval rating skyrocketed after the war began, but the country's political landscape has remained fractious despite unifying over the war.
Former presidential aide Oleksiy Arestovych announced this week he would run against his former boss, after criticising Zelensky for the slow pace of the country's counteroffensive.
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