The United States is advocating for Ukraine to hold elections, possibly by the end of the year, particularly if a ceasefire with Russia can be reached in the coming months, according to a report by Reuters citing U.S. President Donald Trump’s top Ukraine official.
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, stated in an interview that the presidential and parliamentary elections, which were suspended due to the war with Russia, “need to be held.”
“Most democratic nations hold elections during wartime. I think it’s important they do so,” Kellogg remarked. “It’s good for democracy. That’s the strength of a solid democracy—having more than one person running.”
Kellogg and Trump are reportedly working on a plan to broker a deal within the first few months of the new administration to end the conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
While they have provided few details on their strategy for resolving the deadliest European conflict since World War II, they have not disclosed when they might present their plan.
The Trump administration’s approach is still developing, and no firm policy decisions have been made. However, Kellogg and other White House officials have recently discussed encouraging Ukraine to agree to elections as part of an initial truce with Russia, according to sources familiar with the discussions and a former U.S. official briefed on the proposal.
Additionally, Trump officials are deliberating whether to push for a ceasefire before attempting to negotiate a more permanent settlement, according to the report.
If presidential elections take place in Ukraine, the winner could be tasked with negotiating a long-term agreement with Moscow.
It remains uncertain how this proposal would be received in Kyiv, though President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously stated that Ukraine could hold elections this year if the fighting ceases and strong security guarantees are in place to prevent further Russian aggression.
