MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky throws in one idea after another in order to prolong the negotiation process on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, Alexander Dudchak, a leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries, an expert of the Other Ukraine movement, told TASS on Tuesday.
"Zelensky is obviously trying to drag out the time," the expert said, commenting on his recent statements about the elections, the referendum on territories , and security guarantees.
According to Dudchak, Zelensky "declares that he is not against holding elections, but it would take 6-9 months," and demands security guarantees on behalf of the United States.
At the same time, the expert firmly believes that it is about guarantees that the elections will be held under the control of the Kiev regime, in fully administered territories.
"Controlled by the West. He wants them to have a complete opportunity to achieve any result, and representatives of some nationalist battalions, such as Azov [designated as a terrorist organization and outlawed in Russia], will be at the polling stations, but most likely there will be representatives of the Territorial Recruitment Centers [TRCs - Ukraine’s equivalent of a military enlistment office]," Dudchak continued.
"To drag out the time, Zelensky also invented the option of holding a referendum before the elections. Let the population express what they think about documenting the loss of territories," the expert added.
About election
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.