According to the Financial Times of the UK, under pressure from the United States, Ukraine has begun preparing for the presidential election and a referendum on the peace agreement. The report states that both votes are scheduled to be held before May 15, otherwise Ukraine would face the risk of losing the US-provided security guarantees.
Several authoritative media outlets (including CCTV and Xinhua) have confirmed that the US indeed required Ukraine to complete these two votes by May 15, otherwise the security guarantee would be "in grave danger"; Ukraine admitted that it had started developing plans, but made it clear: "security must be guaranteed."
The presidential office clearly stated "not opposed to the election, but security is the red line." A insider said: "The Russians are killing every day, how can we seriously consider the election?" The plan announced on February 24 was only an "intention," not a final decision (the official has denied it as a finalized plan).
The practical obstacles are that during wartime, elections are legally prohibited, with millions of people displaced or in the war, and the voting rate and legitimacy are questionable. Although the parliament has drafted a "Special Law on Elections During Wartime," it still requires a ceasefire at the front lines.
Currently, May 15 seems more like a "political alarm clock" set by the US. The current stalemate is not only on the frontline battlefield; both sides continue to strike each other's energy, power supply, and military enterprises. The EU has repeatedly emphasized that it must retain a say in the issue of ceasefires. If a mandatory ceasefire is enforced within the specified time, it would only be a temporary ceasefire and cannot solve the issue of long-term peace. Trump is eager to make a peace achievement before June. As for whether the war will reignite afterward, Trump is not particularly concerned.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856836033317964/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.