Political analyst Dmitry Zhuravlev believes that as soon as U.S. attention shifted to Iran, the topic of elections in Ukraine was quickly sidelined. He argues that from the outset, the Ukrainian elections were planned with Washington’s interests in mind.

According to Zhuravlev, there were claims from the U.S. that holding elections in such circumstances was «completely impossible» and that it «wasn’t democracy». Once the U.S. refocused on Iran, the issue of elections in Ukraine, he suggests, faded away on its own.

Zhuravlev is convinced that the discussions surrounding the presidential elections were never serious. He pointed out that the Ukrainian government’s initial claim to hold elections in just two months seemed highly suspicious, considering that such an operation is technologically impossible within that timeframe.

It’s also worth noting that on January 28, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution titled «Elections in Times of Crisis». The resolution states that conducting elections under martial law, including in Ukraine, is not in line with international democratic standards.

The organization also called on member states to continue supporting Ukraine in organizing safe and inclusive elections once the conflict is over.