Kremlin comments on delays to new election in Ukraine
The Ukrainian leadership is attempting to cling to power by prolonging martial law in the country and removing the possibility of elections in the near future, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Earlier this week, the Ukrainian parliament extended martial law by another 90 days, ruling out any chance of a new presidential election being held within that time frame.
Vladimir Zelensky’s term as Ukrainian president officially expired almost one year ago. He has refused to hold a new vote, citing martial law, which has been extended more than a dozen times since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022.
Moscow considers Zelensky an “illegitimate” leader, insisting that the Ukrainian parliament remains the only legal authority in the country.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Peskov suggested that “the Kiev regime is trying to maintain its flimsy structure.” He also recalled remarks by former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko, who suggested that the country was developing authoritarian tendencies. “This is quite clear,” Peskov stated.
The Ukrainian leadership has also not canceled a ban on direct talks with Russia, Peskov noted, referring to a presidential decree by Zelensky signed after four former Ukrainian territories voted to join Russia in the autumn of 2022.
The spokesman went on to accuse Ukraine of not abiding by a US-brokered 30-day moratorium on energy infrastructure strikes which is expiring later this week. Moscow has said it continues to honor the partial ceasefire to build goodwill with Washington, despite violations by Kiev. At the same time, Russia has stressed that it reserves the right to retaliatory measures.
