Referendum and elections in Ukraine: Zelenskyy outlines conditions and timeline

Holding a referendum in Ukraine and preparations for subsequent elections will depend on the outcome of international talks, including discussions with the team of U.S. President Donald Trump, and agreement on an economic recovery plan.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the remarks on January 7, in response to questions from journalists.

He said the issue of elections and a referendum could not be separated from the broader security situation, adding that the results of diplomatic efforts would be a key indicator.

«Everything depends on the negotiations — more precisely, on continuing the talks and achieving the desired results. First of all, the 20-point plan, because if we are talking about a referendum, then only the 20 points of the plan could be put to a referendum. But it is all being considered as a package, ” Zelenskyy said.

Beyond the domestic plan, bilateral relations with the United States are of critical importance, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, stressing that Ukraine’s political stability must rest on legally binding security guarantees and financial support.

«Alongside the 20-point plan, there must be bilateral security guarantees with the United States. My agreement with Trump must be formalized with signatures. It also depends on our economic team — our prime minister, myself, the economy minister and the US negotiating group — because we need a recovery package for Ukraine,» Zelenskyy said.

If talks in January are successful, February could become a month of active legislative changes.

«All of this goes together. If we manage to complete this in January, February could be a working month for legislative changes, ” the president concluded.