Russia and Putin · Second term · № 124
Echoed the Kremlin's call for wartime elections in Ukraine and said Russia had 'the upper hand'
“You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore.”
- Said
- , Interview with Politico, published December 9, 2025
- Subject
- Ukraine elections demand
- Type
- Ukraine
- Topic
- Ukraine & Russia
- Era
- Second term
What happened
In a Politico interview he said it was 'an important time to hold an election' in Ukraine, that Kyiv was 'using war' to avoid one, and that 'at some point, size will win' because 'Russia has the upper hand.' Moscow had demanded new Ukrainian elections as a condition of any deal and called Zelensky illegitimate; Ukraine's constitution bars elections under martial law. He called European leaders 'weak' and their countries 'decaying,' days after his National Security Strategy warned Europe of 'civilisational erasure' and did not describe Russia as a threat, a document the Kremlin called 'largely consistent' with its own vision. Two days earlier he had said 'Russia is fine with' the U.S. plan and that he was 'disappointed' Zelensky had not read it. Zelensky responded that Ukraine was 'ready for elections' within 60 to 90 days if allies guaranteed security; Ukrainian opposition figures and pollsters said wartime elections were 'exactly what Putin would want' and had about 10 percent public support.
Sources
- Trump criticises 'decaying' European countries and 'weak' leaders
- Ukraine 'ready for elections' if partners guarantee security, Zelensky says
- Trump says it's time for Ukraine to hold an election; he won't abandon Kyiv but 'size will win'
- Donald Trump criticises 'weak' leaders of 'decaying' Europe and hints he could stop backing Ukraine
- Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters Prior to the Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony