Volodymyr Zelensky Rules out Resigning, Says Presidential Elections Impossible in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly ruled out resigning from office, saying that holding presidential elections in the country is currently impossible, while US President Donald Trump insists that elections are necessary. According to excerpts from an interview with British television host Piers Morgan, which he published on his X account, Zelensky was asked whether he intended to resign. He replied, “No, absolutely not. It is my responsibility.” When asked whether he considered presidential elections in Ukraine possible, as Trump has demanded, Zelensky responded, “No, absolutely not.”

Zelensky’s presidential term officially expired on May 20, 2024. However, Kyiv has not held regular presidential elections. Ukrainian officials maintain that elections cannot be held until martial law is lifted. Ukraine’s Constitution suspends elections during martial law and for six months after it ends, while parliament has repeatedly extended the martial law period. On the other hand, Trump said on October 10 that Zelensky should hold elections, adding that he could have ended the conflict and reached a peace agreement on several occasions. Earlier, in February 2025, Trump had described Zelensky as a “dictator without elections.”

Zelensky has previously made his position clear in response to demands for elections. He said he would be prepared to hold new elections if Trump could secure a comprehensive 60-day ceasefire with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he stressed that organizing elections would take time and that the safety of civilians would have to be guaranteed. He has also maintained that Ukrainians living in Russian-occupied territories should be given the opportunity to participate freely in elections. In an earlier interview with Morgan, Zelensky said that neither parliament nor the public currently supported the idea of holding elections. In February 2025, he also stated that he was prepared to leave office if doing so was necessary to achieve peace, adding that he could seek Ukraine’s membership in NATO in exchange.