Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to present a roadmap for holding presidential elections on February 24, together with a proposal for a nationwide referendum on a potential peace agreement with Russia. The information was reported by Reuters, citing the Financial Times, which spoke with Ukrainian and European officials familiar with the preparations.

According to the report, Ukraine has already begun internal planning for national elections to be held in parallel with a referendum on a future peace deal. Reuters noted that American and Ukrainian negotiators are currently discussing a framework under which any agreement to end the war would have to be approved by voters. Under this approach, Ukrainians would cast ballots for both the presidency and the referendum at the same time.

Officials involved in the discussions have reportedly considered May as a possible timeframe for organizing both the presidential vote and the referendum, although no final decision has been made. The timing remains sensitive, given the ongoing war and the legal and logistical obstacles linked to martial law.

Public opinion surveys suggest that a majority of Ukrainians are opposed to holding elections before the fighting ends. At the same time, there is strong resistance to any proposal that would see the entire Donbas region transferred to Russian control in exchange for security guarantees from the United States and European countries.

Despite the reluctance toward early elections, polling indicates that 55 percent of Ukrainians support the idea of a referendum on a peace agreement with Russia, while 32 percent are against such a vote. However, the Civil Network OPORA, a Ukrainian civic monitoring organization, has emphasized that current legislation does not allow referendums to be held while martial law is in effect.

OPORA has warned that under present conditions it would be impossible to guarantee the participation of millions of Ukrainians living abroad or serving in the armed forces, to adequately address security risks and disinformation, or to fully restore electoral infrastructure damaged by the war. The organization added that even if hostilities were to stop, organizing a referendum would require significant time, institutional changes, and extensive preparation.