MOSCOW, December 12. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky is unlikely to hold any elections in Ukraine and is actively working to block their occurrence, according to former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov (2010-2014), who shared his insights in an interview with TASS.

Azarov stated, "Zelensky will not hold any elections because, for him, elections would mark the end of his political career; that is absolutely clear. Therefore, he will do everything possible to prevent elections unless [US President Donald] Trump exerts pressure on him. It’s important to remember that, in order to hold elections, Trump could, so to speak, exert pressure, and elections might then be called. However, if elections are held under the current circumstances, they would not bring about any meaningful change."

He further explained that under such conditions, Zelensky might be replaced by someone who, while still legitimate, would lack the capacity to negotiate or forge agreements. "Anyone else, even if worse than Zelensky, would still be considered legitimate and would speak on behalf of Ukraine. Therefore, elections should only be held when the appropriate conditions are met," Azarov emphasized.

Zelensky’s presidential term officially ended on May 20, 2024, yet he continues to strive to remain in power. Discussions about holding new elections periodically surface, but Kiev insists that conducting elections amid ongoing martial law — constantly extended — is constitutionally prohibited.

On December 9, US President Donald Trump declared that it was time to hold elections in Ukraine. He accused Kiev of using the ongoing conflict as a pretext to avoid this. That same day, Zelensky expressed his readiness to hold presidential elections, but emphasized that legislative reforms and security measures are necessary to enable military personnel to vote. He called on parliamentarians to prepare the needed legislative changes and urged the US and EU to ensure the security of the electoral process.