Former Ukraine defence minister calls for wartime presidential election

The Big Picture

Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for Ukraine to find a way to hold a presidential election during its continuing war with Russia, in a direct challenge to the country’s suspended electoral process under martial law.

In a video posted on YouTube on Tuesday, Fedorov said Ukraine needed “a legal, safe and realistic mechanism” to restore a full democratic process during a prolonged war. “Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia,” he said, adding that Ukraine was fighting “precisely because we want to remain a free European state”.

The 35-year-old did not name President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but his remarks represented a criticism of the government’s direction at a sensitive moment for Ukraine’s leadership.

What Happened

Ukraine has suspended elections since martial law was imposed following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukrainian law bars elections during wartime, and the country has postponed its presidential vote while the conflict continues. Zelenskyy’s five-year term ended in May 2024, according to reports by The Guardian and Al Jazeera.

Fedorov said in his address that Ukraine faced a “systemic crisis of governance,” with institutions “scared of change.” He also pointed to corruption as a problem damaging the war effort and warned against a system in which personal loyalty, rather than professional ability or results, becomes the main criterion for appointments.

His intervention came after Zelenskyy nominated Yevhenii Khmara, a career intelligence official serving as acting defence minister, for parliamentary confirmation as defence minister. Parliament was expected to consider the nomination on Wednesday.

Background

Fedorov was unexpectedly dismissed as defence minister in July after about six months in the job. He had previously served as digital transformation minister and became associated with Ukraine’s adoption of drones and technology in its war effort.

His removal triggered protests, including demonstrations calling for his reinstatement. The dismissal was widely linked to tensions between Fedorov and the armed forces commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Syrskyi was subsequently replaced after pressure and protests connected to the dispute, though reports differed on the timing of that replacement.

Fedorov was reportedly offered other government posts, including deputy prime minister for military innovation, but said he would return only as defence minister. The president’s office had not publicly responded to his latest call for elections at the time the reports were published.

Why It Matters

Fedorov’s appeal raises a difficult question for a country fighting a full-scale war: how to preserve democratic legitimacy while ensuring voters, candidates and election workers can participate safely.

Any election would face major practical obstacles. The Guardian reported that millions of Ukrainians have been displaced or are living abroad, more than 1 million people are serving in the armed forces, and Russia occupies about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Continued Russian attacks would also create significant security risks for polling.

Artem Bronzhukov, a Ukrainian political analyst cited by The Guardian, said there was no clear understanding of how to guarantee safety for voters during a full-scale war. He said a view remained deeply rooted in Ukrainian society that elections were necessary, but should follow the end of the war’s most intense phase.

What Happens Next

Fedorov gave no indication in his video that he intends to run for president. But his call has intensified political attention on his future after protests over his dismissal and speculation that he could become a rival to Zelenskyy.

A Socis Centre for Social Research poll reported by The Guardian placed Fedorov third in a hypothetical first-round presidential contest, with 13.1%, behind Zelenskyy on 22.3% and former armed forces chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi on 21.4%. The newspaper reported that the same polling found Zelenskyy would lose a runoff against either Fedorov or Zaluzhnyi.

For now, martial law remains in force, and there has been no announced change to Ukraine’s legal ban on wartime elections. Fedorov’s proposal therefore puts the focus on whether Ukraine’s leaders can devise an election system that is both lawful and workable while the war continues.