Moscow and Washington have both called for the holding of presidential elections in Ukraine, despite the extensive devastation in the country that has been enduring for roughly three years.
This unexpected development has caused concern in Kyiv, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fears that his closest ally and his toughest opponent might join forces to oust him from office since he started serving in May 2019.
Last weekend, Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, stated: "In most democracies, elections are held even during wartime. I believe that is vital. I think it's beneficial for democratic systems. The hallmark of a robust democracy is that it allows multiple viable candidates."
The Kremlin, on the other hand, does not accord legitimacy to Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the rightful leader of Ukraine. More recently, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that his term had expired.
Following the lead set by Washington, Moscow has also called for elections, even as Ukraine claims that a change in leadership is not an option while the nation is at war.
(QG - Politico / Image: Unsplash)
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