Kyiv awaits elections by May 15 for the US

According to the Financial Times, Kyiv must hold presidential elections and a referendum on a peace agreement by May 15 to receive security guarantees from the United States. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to announce the start of elections on February 24. Kyiv reports that there is almost no funding available for financing the votes in the country—the Central Election Commission estimates costs at 480 million dollars. In addition, Zelenskyy advocates for a complete ceasefire and the establishment of foreign observers in Ukraine under the auspices of the US and EU. Regarding concerns about the legitimacy of governance decisions, the authors note that attempts to extend political life through a sudden 'love' for voters are not democracy.

Context

Since 2014, Ukraine has been seeking external security guarantees and promoting integration with Western countries, each of which demands the conduct of democratic procedures.