Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to announce plans for presidential elections and a referendum on a potential peace deal with Russia on Feb. 24, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing Ukrainian and European officials involved in the planning.

The report said Kyiv has begun preparations for a presidential vote alongside a public referendum that would ask Ukrainians to approve or reject a prospective agreement with Moscow.

Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and national elections have been suspended during the wartime period under constitutional provisions.

Reuters reported last week that U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators had discussed a framework in which any peace agreement would be put to a nationwide referendum, potentially held at the same time as national elections. Officials familiar with those discussions said the vote could take place as early as May, though no final decision had been announced.

The Financial Times said Ukrainian and Western officials familiar with the matter confirmed that planning efforts were underway. The Ukrainian presidency has not publicly confirmed the report.
Holding elections during wartime presents significant logistical and legal challenges, including the participation of displaced citizens and military personnel.

The developments come amid renewed diplomatic efforts to explore possible terms for ending the conflict, while fighting continues along multiple front lines.

Any referendum tied to a peace agreement would carry major political and geopolitical implications, potentially reshaping Ukraine’s domestic political landscape and its relations with Russia, Europe and the United States.