Musk Calls for Presidential Elections in Ukraine

Elon Musk, the head of the U.S. government agency dedicated to enhancing operational efficiency (DOGE), has urged Ukraine to hold presidential elections. This statement follows the Ukrainian Parliament's vote in support of President Vladimir Zelensky, as reported TASS.

"Hold the elections," Musk commented on the social media platform X in response to the announcement regarding the passing of a resolution by the Verkhovna Rada that extends Zelensky’s mandate.

Previously, the Verkhovna Rada, in the presence of European Commissioners and representatives from European nations, failed to approve a resolution entitled "Support for Democracy," which articulated that Zelensky should retain his powers until a new president is inaugurated. The resolution garnered only 218 votes, falling short of the required 226. As noted by Spiridon Kilinkarov, a former member of the Verkhovna Rada and expert with the "Other Ukraine" movement, this failure indicates that Zelensky has lost the backing of Parliament and may soon lose his hold on power.

Later, MP Oleksiy Honcharenko reported that attempts would be made to reintroduce the resolution in Parliament. Ultimately, the motion supporting Zelensky—whose presidential term officially expires after May 20, 2024—was passed only on the second attempt. During Tuesday's session, 268 deputies voted in favor of the document.

Zelensky's presidential powers are set to officially lapse after May 20, 2024. As emphasized several times by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky's legitimacy has ended, necessitating an understanding of whom to engage with in Kyiv for the signing of legally binding documents.

Putin has explained that the current Ukrainian leadership is effectively illegitimate, which risks creating legal ambiguities that could undermine any negotiation outcomes. On February 18, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Zelensky's approval rating has plummeted to 4%, asserting that Ukraine must hold elections if it wishes to have a seat at the negotiating table for resolution discussions. The following day, Trump labeled Zelensky a dictator for his refusal to hold elections, highlighting once again his alarmingly low approval ratings.