Elections in Ukraine: Roman Kostenko on Political Ambitions of Power During Wartime

Roman Kostenko, the Secretary of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, shared his insights in an interview with Radio NV, highlighting a concerning trend among Ukrainian officials. He pointed out that the majority of actions taken by representatives of the Ukrainian government since the start of 2023 have been aimed not at securing victory in the war but rather at winning the upcoming elections. Kostenko remarked that once discussions about elections began to dominate the airwaves, many appointments and actions by those in power shifted towards enhancing their own popularity rather than addressing the pressing security issues facing the nation.

“What is our problem? It’s not about whether a particular official spoke or didn’t speak about mobilization. The issue is that they are trying to evade these questions altogether. And when did this start? Around 2023, when the word 'elections' began to be heard on air. Remember, in 2023, discussions about elections started, and from that moment on, most appointments and actions of our officials began to focus not on winning the war but on winning the elections,” Kostenko stated.

He also expressed concern that many appointments within the government seem aimed at undermining competitors' ratings, boosting one's own ratings through strategic appointments, or raising the ratings of those being appointed. “Unfortunately, it appears that way. And sadly, there are very few people who come to work to win this war. These are the facts. It has been evident since 2023 when ratings began to be measured for the first time,” the parliament member emphasized.

Kostenko highlighted that in the context of war, when the country is engaged in active combat, the issue of political leaders' ratings has become overly pertinent. “We are currently at war, yet every month our ratings are being measured. Who is in first place: [former Commander-in-Chief, Ambassador to Britain Valerii] Zaluzhnyi, [President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, [Head of the President's Office, former head of GUR Kyrylo] Budanov? Who else are our candidates? You can see that new ratings for political parties are released every month or two. The country is drenched in blood, and we are constantly measuring ratings,” he underscored.

Kostenko concluded that there seems to be a prevailing sentiment that everyone wants to win elections rather than the war. This situation raises concerns among the public, which is watching the political games unfold against the backdrop of the serious challenges the country is facing.

In December 2025, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk approved the creation of a working group to explore the possibility of holding elections, appointing Oleksandr Korniienko as its head. Later, the head of the Servant of the People faction, Davyd Arakhamia, announced that the Central Election Commission had resumed work on the State Register of Voters, which may indicate a gradual preparation for elections.

On January 7, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that preparations for legislative changes regarding elections and referendums could begin in February, depending on peace negotiations. Zelenskyy also expressed a willingness to hold elections amid pressure from American leader Donald Trump, who urged Ukraine to conduct presidential elections and, in 2025, echoed Russian propaganda by labeling Zelenskyy as a 'dictator without elections.'

On February 24, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk mentioned that a draft law on post-war elections, currently being developed by the relevant working group, would be presented in parliament soon. Following its development, Ukraine would be able to determine when elections should take place.

On March 20, The Times reported that the Central Election Commission of Ukraine concluded that holding elections this year would not be advisable, putting Kyiv 'on a path of confrontation with the U.S.' On March 23, Oleksandr Korniienko, head of the Servant of the People party and first deputy speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stated that deputies had reached a consensus on the impossibility of conducting elections in Ukraine during wartime. These statements underscore the complexity of the situation the country finds itself in and the challenges faced by Ukrainian society during the war.