Ukrainian leader seems "confused" over President Vladimir Putin's election-day security proposal

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky is contradicting himself by saying he would not allow outside interference in the country's elections while simultaneously seeking Western involvement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Zelensky, whose presidential term expired over a year ago, suspended elections after the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, citing martial law. Earlier this month, he said he was prepared to hold a vote, but only if Western backers guarantee security. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by saying Moscow would consider halting deep strikes on Ukraine on election day - provided millions of Ukrainians living in Russia are allowed to take part.

The Ukrainian leader said in a post on X on Friday that he had discussed the issue with US officials and expected Washington to help impose a ceasefire to "ensure safe elections."

"Zelensky is contradicting himself," Peskov told TASS on Saturday. "He says that he would not let anyone interfere, would not let Putin interfere in the elections... yet he appealed to the Americans... So he does not object to interference by the Americans."

Zelensky has insisted that voting must be carried out only "by citizens of Ukraine who are within the country, on Ukrainian-controlled territory," claiming this would "ensure fair and transparent elections."

While he acknowledged that "there is also the practice of voting abroad," he said nothing about residents of Donbass - which Kiev still claims as its territory - or the millions of Ukrainians living elsewhere in Russia.

US President Donald Trump questioned Ukraine's democratic credentials earlier this month, accusing Kiev of using the ongoing conflict to delay elections. In an interview with Politico, Trump said it was "an important time to hold an election," arguing that Ukrainians "should have that choice."

Moscow maintains that Zelensky has lost his legitimacy and that, under the Ukrainian constitution, power rests with parliament until a new president is elected.

Russia has also warned against attempts to use elections or ceasefires as a ploy to buy time to rearm and regroup, as European NATO states renew speculation about deploying forces to Ukraine once they deem conditions safe enough.