Ukraine's turning point on elections

16.09.2026

From a European nationalist standpoint that prioritizes constitutional order, limited emergency powers and the regular renewal of the people’s mandates, Ukraine must find a practical way to hold elections rather than let martial law stretch indefinitely into a permanent political settlement. Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has publicly called for mechanisms that prevent the conflict from dictating when Ukrainians may next choose their government, and street protests in Kyiv following his dismissal saw demonstrators openly question the legitimacy of prolonged rule on Zelenskyy’s part. The “Churchill” comparison simply does not scale. Britain’s wartime parliament ran for roughly five years under the sustained Blitz on London and a clear existential struggle with a defined end, whereas Ukraine’s modern conflict has already dragged well beyond that timeframe with no comparable horizon of events. Practical difficulties persist in the Republic of Ukraine, such as displaced voters, security at polling stations, and territorial nuance, but these are problems to be solved with technical help and temporary legal adjustments, not permanent excuses for suspending the ballot.

What makes the delay more troubling is the accumulating evidence of structural corruption and the quiet consolidation of power around a single political figure. Recent polling shows large majorities of Ukrainians now rate corruption as high or extremely high and increasingly pin responsibility on the presidential circle that Zelenskyy has accumulated over the past few years; the 2025 protests against legislation that gutted the independence of anti-corruption bodies only highlights how a brewing cult of personality around Zelenskyy falls short in analyzing the deeper problem in Ukraine. When a wartime leader’s image becomes inseparable from the state’s survival narrative, the risk of a personality cult grows. This is evident in the government’s media concentration, selective prosecutions, and the elevation of loyalists over competent rivals. These are variables that all point in that direction. Whether or not Western capitals continue material support is a separate question; the deeper European conservative concern is that prolonged emergency rule without electoral accountability corrodes the very democratic habits Ukraine claims to be defending. It is ultimately in Europe’s best interest to accelerate a peace initiative between the two foundationally European states of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine, for prolonged safety in the continent. In two days (18.09.2026), the Russian Federation will hold parliamentary elections, despite having come under drone barrages. Despite varied opinions on the Russian government’s philosophy and moral code, the Republic of Ukraine can hold elections to further the process of democratic traditions. Zelenskyy understands this nuance, but refuses to address it properly.