Originally published August 28, 2023 8:01 am PDT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made clear his conditions for conducting elections in his war-torn nation: more financial assistance from the West.
The US has already given more than $100 billion to Ukraine.
Zelensky is now claiming he will not hold democratic elections in his country unless America pays.
In a recent interview with journalist Natalia Moseychuk, Zelensky expressed that the forthcoming elections under martial law would only be feasible if every citizen, including the military and displaced persons, is given the opportunity to vote.
He stated, “We need every vote. We won’t be able to say for ourselves that this was a very democratic election. We need a legitimate choice.”
However, the Ukrainian president claimed there’s a logistical challenge to holding elections in his country, particularly given the large number of Ukrainians currently living abroad, mainly in the European Union.
“We need help from Europe here, because Ukrainians today are mostly in the European Union. Polling stations must be opened there so that people can come. 7 million people have to vote,” Zelensky remarked.
But the resources and infrastructure to make this happen on such a scale are lacking.
Not only is Zelensky asking for more money, but he vowed he would not reallocate money already given to his country toward elections.
Speaking about his conversation with American Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Zelensky promised, “I told him: if the United States and Europe give us financial support… I’m sorry, I will not hold elections on credit, I will not take money from weapons and give it to elections either.”
The underlying message is clear: without financial support from the US and EU, elections might not be a possibility.
Another fundamental aspect for Zelensky is the legitimacy of these elections, both nationally and internationally. Emphasizing the need for observers at the frontline, he mentioned, “Observers should be in the trenches. I told him: observers must be sent to the frontline so that the elections are legitimate for us and for the whole world. And this is absolutely fair.”
Zelensky’s concerns also revolve around the military’s voting rights during wartime.
He asked, “How will the military be able to vote? Show me the infrastructure. No one has shown it yet.”
He equally addressed the issue of Ukrainians abroad, saying, “How will people abroad be able to vote? No one has shown me.”
Zelensky was candid about his expectations for more financial support from the West: “There is a way out. I am ready for it. I am talking about this publicly now, I told him. I have no secrets.”
