MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky is only pretending to be ready to hold elections in Ukraine in response to criticism from US President Donald Trump, the RBC-Ukraine news agency reported, citing sources in the country's government.

According to its information, Zelensky instructed Verkhovna Rada lawmakers to "develop a draft law on the possibility of holding elections during martial law." However, this step is not related to "any plans to hold these elections," as it was "purely a reaction to Donald Trump's words."

Zelensky's presidential term officially expired on May 20, 2024. However, Kiev did not hold regular elections, claiming it was impossible until martial law ended. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Ukraine is ignoring its Constitutional Court's May 2014 ruling that the presidential term cannot be extended. According to the Russian leader, this means that Zelensky's presidential term "expired along with his legitimacy, which cannot be restored by any tricks."

On December 9, Trump said that the time was right for elections in Ukraine. According to the US head of state, Kiev is using the conflict as an excuse not to hold them. That same day, Zelensky said he was ready for presidential elections in Ukraine. However, he said this would require legislative changes and security measures to ensure servicemen could also vote. He asked lawmakers to prepare legislative changes and requested that the US and Europe ensure the security of the voting process.

On December 13, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that Zelensky was blackmailing Western politicians involved in corruption with him to ensure "his own election." In turn, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov told TASS that the elections would spell the end of Zelensky's political career and that he would therefore do everything in his power to prevent them from taking place.