Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says Kyiv will not hold elections until ceasefire in place – UK Times

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said conducting elections for war-hit Ukraine is not a good idea as the conditions will make the democratic electoral process extremely difficult.

“Majority of European countries have in their constitution a provision that elections are not held during war,” said Kallas. “And why? Because if you have elections, there is always fighting inside between different factions, and when you have outside attacks, literally, then you just can’t hold elections because your adversary is outside, and you need to concentrate all the efforts to counter that.”

The top EU official added that Russia does not have an upper hand in the continuing war and is riddled with its own challenges.

“What is important is to know that Russia is not winning this war. The casualty rates are surging. Their economy is not doing well,” she said.

Volodymyr Zelensky has sought a “specific date” from the European Union to formally join the bloc.

“Ukraine will do everything to be technically ready for accession by 2027,” Zelensky told journalists when asked about the reported partial membership.

“We will at least accomplish the main steps. Second, I want a specific date. I am absolutely confident that if in the agreement… there is no date, then Russia will do everything to block the process.”

Earlier, a European Commission spokesperson told the Kyiv Independent that the EU considers Ukraine’s accession efforts part of the ongoing peace process, but possible entry dates are not yet speculated.

Zelensky said he would not sign a peace agreement with the US, Russia, and Europe if the agreement did not include a specific date for Ukraine’s EU accession.

“This… is about security guarantees, security guarantees for Ukraine,” he said.

“These are specific details, with a specific date. And my signature today, on the 20-point plan, the plan to end the war, guarantees Ukrainians that there will be a specific date for our accession,” he said.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has said it would be an “utterly stupid” idea to announce an election on 24 February, the date of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as reported by the Financial Times.

“24 February is a special date. Even if there were an intention or relevant steps toward bringing certain elections forward, I believe it would be an utterly stupid idea to use such a date to talk about politics,” he wrote in a post on Wednesday.

“This is a very serious date – four years of war. It’s a large number of people who have defended our state and given their lives. And it is since 24 February that our people have been defending their country every day.

“I could never do such a thing. Therefore, 24 February cannot be used to announce any elections – any elections at all. This is not about individuals. No elections can be announced on 24 February. As for announcing elections in general, I’ll repeat: first security, then politics.

“We can move toward elections when all the relevant security guarantees are in place. The issue of elections has been raised by various partners. Ukraine itself has never raised it. But of course, we are ready for elections. It’s very simple to do: establish a ceasefire – and there will be elections. Meaning, it is a matter of security.”

Russian president Vladimir Putin is trying to break the resolve of Ukrainians and he will fail, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said.

In his address ahead of defence minister meeting, the Nato chief said he was in Kyiv last week and saw the impact of Russia’s “relentless attacks” first-hand.

“President Putin is trying to break the people of Ukraine, hoping to weaken their resolve. But Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have shown time and again that they will not be broken,” he said.

Rutte added that Ukraine “cannot sustain this fight or secure the peace alone,” and stressed the importance of allied support through Nato.

Russian troops are forcing Ukrainians to register for Starlink terminals for the Kremlin’s forces shortly after Elon Musk cut their access to his satellite internet network, officials in Kyiv said.

Ukraine’s coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war issued the warning on Tuesday and said families of Ukrainian prisoners are being threatened by Russian forces to enroll for Starlink terminals.

“Looking for a way out of the difficult situation in which they found themselves, the occupiers turned their attention to the families of the prisoners,” the body handling prisoners of war said.

“Cases of threats and demands to officially register Starlink terminals have been recorded,” it added.

A senior Nato official has confirmed Ukraine’s gains in the southern Zaporizhzhia region after Russian forces lost access to Starlink.

Last week, Starlink internet terminals used by Russian troops in Ukraine were deactivated, dealing what one official said was a big setback for Moscow that had disrupted assault operations.

Russian forces have made unauthorised use of thousands of satellite-based Starlink internet connections for secure communications after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kyiv says.

“Taking that link away has put the Russians in somewhat of a command and control predicament,” the official told reporters ahead of a meeting of Nato defence ministers.

“Whatever alternative Russia comes up with is probably not going to be quite as effective.”

Shortly after the loss of access to Starlink, Ukraine’s armed forces confirmed they have regained the village of Kosivtseve in Zaporizhzhia.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has denied that he is planning on announcing a presidential election and referendum on a peace deal with Russia on 24 February, as reported by the Financial Times.

Answering reporters’ questions in a WhatsApp chat, he said elections could only be held if there was a ceasefire, and that Europe and the US should work in track with Moscow on negotiations.

The Ukrainian capital Kyiv came under a “massive” attack from Russian missiles in the early hours todaay, with various buildings hit in the assault, officials said.

“A mass attack on the capital is still underway,” mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram.

Klitschko said there had been hits on both residential and non-residential buildings on both sides of the Dnipro River bisecting the city.

Fragments had fallen near two residential buildings in one district, but no fire had broken out and no casualties were reported.

Emergency medical teams had been dispatched.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration, said at least one hit had been recorded in an eastern suburb.

The southeastern city of Dnipro also came under attack, regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha said on Telegram. Some private homes and cars sustained damage, but there were no indications of any casualties.

Air raid alerts remained in effect in both Kyiv and Dnipro well after midnight.

Russian strikes have killed four civilians in various localities in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha said on Wednesday.

Mr Ganzha said the attacks occurred in three small localities near the town of Synelnykove, east of the regional centre of Dnipro.

In one attack, a man was killed and his wife wounded. In another, a couple and their 45-year-old son was killed and a man wounded. A woman was hurt in a third village.