Zelensky says Ukraine will hold elections if Putin agrees to 60‑day ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told U.S. President Donald Trump on Oct. 10, 2026 that Kyiv will organize national elections if Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to a total 60‑day ceasefire.

The proposal underscores the challenge of holding a democratic vote amid ongoing armed conflict and raises questions about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine’s war effort. A ceasefire, Zelensky said, is needed to secure voting infrastructure and give Ukrainians a safe environment to choose their next leader.

“Please tell Putin: Give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections. Of course, we will be ready for any choice of our people, Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky added that the war makes it impossible to build the security systems required for a nationwide ballot, noting that the current situation “goes absolutely not secured and it goes out of our law, out of our constitution.” He emphasized that without a ceasefire the electoral process would be illegal and unsafe.

“I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump said, suggesting that a leader who can negotiate a deal with Moscow is needed.

Trump’s demand for a new Ukrainian president reflects a growing rift between the two leaders. The U.S. president has repeatedly called for a settlement and has accused Zelensky of prolonging the war by targeting Russian oil refineries, which he claims drives up global fuel prices.

The ceasefire request follows a previous offer Zelensky rejected in February 2025 for a U.S.-backed pause in fighting. Since then, Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian refineries, claiming to have disabled more than half of Moscow’s refining capacity, a move that has heightened tensions with the United States over a new diesel agreement with Russia.

Zelensky said his team is waiting for a response from Putin and that any agreement would be a prerequisite for scheduling the election. He reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to democratic principles while urging the international community to support a peaceful resolution that would allow Ukrainians to vote without fear.