Zelenskyy offers to hold Ukraine elections if Putin agrees to 60-day ceasefire

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday he was prepared to hold presidential elections if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, responding to US President Donald Trump's call for Ukraine to choose a new leader.

In an interview with ABC, Zelenskyy said organizing elections during wartime remained difficult because of security concerns and constitutional restrictions, but stressed that Ukrainians alone should determine their country's leadership.

"With all respect to President Trump, it's up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader. Yes, we are in war and how to do elections is really difficult," he said.

Zelenskyy accused Putin of seeking to replace Ukraine's leadership and said he had discussed the issue with Trump's team.

"So please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days off. Total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections," he said.

"Of course, we will be ready for any choice of our people, exactly Ukrainian people," he added.

His remarks followed Trump's criticism on Saturday, when the US president accused Zelenskyy of missing several opportunities to end the war.

"I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president," Trump said.

Trump also criticized Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, warning that strikes on oil refineries could deepen global fuel shortages and increase costs for American farmers and ranchers.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared to pursue de-escalation measures, including a mutual ceasefire covering energy infrastructure, and urged Trump to press Moscow to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities.

"It's fair deal. It's not the best deal. The best deal not – not to have a war to stop Putin. But the first step is ceasefire, energy ceasefire," he said.

The Ukrainian president also accused Washington of blaming Kyiv for rising energy prices rather than confronting Russia.

"Because it's more difficult to stop Putin than to pressure others. Because it's more simple to speak about the prices and connect it with Ukraine," Zelenskyy said, responding to criticism from US billionaire Elon Musk, who claimed that Zelenskyy had "gone too far."

Zelenskyy argued that rising global energy prices were primarily linked to the war in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

He also criticized a recently announced US-Russia diesel supply agreement, warning that the arrangement would provide Moscow with additional revenue to finance its military operations.

Despite his criticism, Zelenskyy said Kyiv continued to count on Washington's support in efforts to end the war, now in its fifth year, as quickly as possible.

"But in any case, we will defend ourselves, because otherwise we will lose our lives and homes, our freedom, independence, Ukraine. We can't lose it. And the truth is on our side," he said.