Former defence minister urges Ukraine to organise wartime elections
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a mechanism to hold elections during the war, after President Zelenskyy nominated Yevhen Khmara as the new defence minister.
Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov used a video address to urge Ukraine to find a way to hold elections despite the ongoing conflict, saying the country must not let Russia dictate when citizens can choose their government.
His remarks came hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy formally nominated acting defence minister Yevhen Khmara as the permanent head of the ministry, ending speculation about Fedorov’s possible return.
"We must not let Putin decide when Ukrainians can choose their government," Fedorov said.
"Democracy is not a peacetime luxury. Democracy is part of what we are fighting for today," he added.
Fedorov, who declined offers for other senior posts, argued that elections should be organised even under martial law, noting the logistical challenges of voting for troops, expatriates and residents in frontline areas. He did not propose a specific timetable but called for a mechanism that would allow citizens to assess the performance of those in power.
He also linked political accountability to the war effort, warning that corruption and mismanagement of defence funds could cost lives.
"Power must mean responsibility," he said, adding that officials should be required to explain their actions.
"People do not demand that the state never make mistakes. But they have a right to the truth," Fedorov said.
Khmara, a former head of Ukraine’s Security Service and veteran of operations such as the retaking of Snake Island, now awaits parliamentary approval for the defence minister role. Fedorov has not publicly criticised Khmara and said he had briefed him on a detailed war plan earlier in the year.
While Fedorov previously described himself as a manager rather than a politician, his public call for elections suggests he may seek a broader political role after leaving the ministry.