Overview

• In an Oval Office appearance, Volodymyr Zelensky said elections cannot be held under martial law and pledged to call a vote once the war ends and conditions ensure a free, legal contest.
• President Donald Trump responded with a joke that a future U.S. war could halt the 2028 election, quipping that such a delay would be “good” for extending his time in office.
• Ukraine postponed its scheduled 2024 national polls after Russia’s full-scale invasion, and nationwide voting remains frozen under wartime law.
• Recent polls reported by news outlets show Zelensky’s approval above 70 percent, with large majorities viewing him as legitimate and opposing elections during active fighting.
• The exchange followed months of friction that included a brief U.S. pause of some military aid and intelligence support earlier this year that was later reversed, as Trump and allies criticized the election suspension.