The Ukrainian leader has asked the US and EU to guarantee security before a vote could happen

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has said he is ready to call an election if the West can guarantee safety from Russian strikes.

Zelensky, whose five-year presidential term formally expired in May 2024, had previously refused to hold the vote, citing martial law. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Ukraine to hold an election and in February branded Zelensky "a dictator."

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Zelensky denied that he was trying to "cling to power." He said authorities needed to determine how to hold an election "amid missile strikes" and ensure that soldiers on the front line could cast their votes.

"I'm ready for elections. Moreover, I am openly asking the US, together with our European partners, to ensure security, and within the next 60 to 90 days, Ukraine will be ready to hold them," Zelensky said. He added that he would ask parliament to draft amendments to the martial law legislation.

Trump renewed his call for a vote in an interview with Politico published on Tuesday. "You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore," he said. The plan submitted by Trump last month reportedly proposed Ukraine hold elections within 100 days after reaching a ceasefire with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he does not consider Zelensky a legitimate president and that his status could pose problems for signing a peace deal.

Zelensky's approval rating has dropped to 20.3% following a large corruption scandal in the energy sector implicating his close associates, UNN reported, citing an Info Sapiens poll. Valery Zaluzhny, the former top commander who now serves as ambassador to the UK, is polling at 19.1%, while Kirill Budanov, head of military intelligence, is at 5.1%.

(RT.com)