Fedorov proposes holding elections in Ukraine whilst the war is ongoing: «This trust must be restored»
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- Alisa MelikadamianContributing Editor, Reporter
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former Minister of Defence, has issued a statement to the Ukrainian people in which he proposed finding a legal mechanism that would allow elections to be held even in the midst of a protracted war.
He posted the video message on his official YouTube channel.
He described as abnormal a situation where a country fighting on the battlefield has no defence minister. However, he believes the problem is much broader:
«If the war continues for another year, or two or three, could Russia effectively gain the right to determine when Ukrainians will once again be able to elect their own government? I am convinced that it cannot. Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. We are fighting precisely because we want to remain a free European state. We must therefore find a legitimate, secure and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a fully-fledged democratic process even in the context of a protracted war,» said Mykhailo Fedorov.
Mykhailo Fedorov says that to achieve this, we must ensure that servicemen, millions of Ukrainians abroad and residents of frontline regions are able to vote, whilst also guaranteeing the security of the electoral process and the independence of institutions.
«We can find a solution in this situation too. Because democracy is a luxury of peacetime. It is part of what we are fighting for today. Elections are not just about a ballot paper. They are the moment when the authorities come back to the citizen and say: «Here, we’ve done this. Now it is up to you to decide whether you trust us to continue.» And it is precisely this principle that distinguishes a democratic state from a system where the authorities themselves decide when society may assess them. We must not allow Putin to decide when Ukrainians can elect their own government,» said Mykhailo Fedorov.
Currently, the Law «On the Legal Regime of Martial Law» expressly prohibits the holding of elections for the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada and local authorities whilst martial law is in force. Martial law, introduced following the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, was most recently extended on 2 August 2026 for a further 90 days. The issue of holding elections in Ukraine has been under discussion for several years. Due to martial law, electoral processes were suspended, and the scheduled local elections were not held in 2025. At the same time, current legislative developments mainly concern the first elections to be held after the termination or lifting of martial law. In March 2026, a Verkhovna Rada working group reported that its members had reached a consensus on the impossibility of holding elections whilst martial law was in force. The Central Election Commission is also preparing proposals on the organisation of nationwide elections following its conclusion.
Fedorov’s controversial dismissal from the Ministry of Defence
On 15 July, it emerged that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not nominate Mykhailo Fedorov for the post of Minister of Defence in the new government.
Following this, peaceful demonstrations began in various cities across Ukraine, demanding Fedorov’s reinstatement and reforms in the defence sector. One of the protesters’ demands was also the resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
On 22 July, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees dismissing Syrskyi and appointing Mykhailo Drapatyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to media reports, Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained Mykhailo Fedorov’s dismissal by stating that he had a persistent conflict with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi «which could not be resolved in any way».
Following his dismissal, Mykhailo Fedorov held a public press conference, during which he confirmed the conflict with the Commander-in-Chief. According to him, he had proposed replacing Syrskyi and Chief of Staff Andrii Hnatov, but the Commander-in-Chief, he claimed, «issued an ultimatum» and «devised a way to divide the country». Mykhailo Fedorov also stated that, thanks to open tenders, the Ministry of Defence had saved around $100 million on the procurement of artillery shells and billions more on the procurement of drones.
Following these statements, Syrskyi himself approached Mykhailo Fedorov, apologising and stating that he did not consider their professional differences to be a conflict.
Yevhen Khmara is currently the acting Minister of Defence of Ukraine. However, it is known that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered Mykhailo Fedorov various government posts, including that of Deputy Prime Minister for Technological Development, but Fedorov declined due to a lack of understanding regarding the reasons for his dismissal as Defence Minister.
In an interview with activist Serhii Sternenko, he stated that he still hopes to return to this post.
Meanwhile, protests calling for the politician’s reinstatement as defence minister are continuing in cities across Ukraine. In particular, on 16 August, a «Bring Fedorov Back» protest took place in the centre of Mykolaiv.
