On October 11, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump said that it was time for Ukraine to have a "new president." The remark came amid his criticism of Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not reaching agreements to end the war. Trump’s comment was framed as a neutral observation about leadership.
Responding to Trump, Zelenskyy told ABC News that, with all due respect to the U.S. president, the decision of who leads Ukraine belongs exclusively to Ukrainian society and its people. He emphasized that the selection of a leader is a matter for the nation itself, not for foreign actors.
Zelenskyy went further, saying that elections could be organized if Russia agreed to a total ceasefire lasting sixty days. This proposal linked the prospect of a democratic process to a concrete pause in fighting.
Under martial law, normal political processes, including nationwide voting, are suspended.
According to the record, Ukrainian presidential elections had been scheduled for 2024. The vote did not take place that year because martial law was imposed after the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. The continuation of martial law kept the electoral calendar on hold.
Zelensky on Trump saying Ukraine needs a new president: "Tell Putin, give us 2 months—60 days—of total ceasefire—60 days—and we will organize elections." https://t.co/YNSaUec7GH
Martial law, in force since the 2022 invasion, forced the postponement of the 2024 presidential election. Under martial law, normal political processes, including nationwide voting, are suspended.
The text explains that holding elections during wartime is difficult because many citizens are displaced and large parts of the country remain occupied. These factors create logistical and security obstacles to conducting a free and fair vote.
⚡'Please tell Putin, give us 60 days of total ceasefire, and we will organize elections' — Zelensky Vladimir Zelensky's official five-year term in office expired on May 20, 2024. https://t.co/b3c2LEdXiN
Zelenskyy argued that a sixty‑day total ceasefire would establish the minimum security conditions necessary for organizing elections. He suggested that such a pause would allow the state to prepare for voting despite the ongoing conflict.
On the same day, Trump announced an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. At the time of the announcement, Moscow had not publicly confirmed the agreement. Zelenskyy said he was surprised by the news but indicated that Ukraine would respect the ceasefire if Russia did the same.
Zelenskyy expressed surprise at Trump’s energy ceasefire announcement, yet stated that Kyiv would be willing to observe it provided Moscow also honored the arrangement. This reaction underscored the conditional nature of any truce proposals.
As of the October 11, 2026 statements, Zelenskyy has placed a clear condition: a sixty‑day total ceasefire from Russia is required before Ukraine can proceed with presidential elections. The proposal follows Trump’s call for new leadership and his own energy ceasefire announcement, leaving the outcome dependent on Moscow’s response to the ceasefire offer.