Ukraine has not held elections since 2019, as the imposition of martial law following the Russian invasion meant presidential and parliamentary votes due to be held in the spring of 2024 were postponed. This has prompted both Putin and Donald Trump to question the legitimacy of Ukraine’s war-time leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, whom the American leader has denounced as “a dictator”.
Although Zelensky continues to enjoy the backing of most European leaders, concerns have persisted among alliance leaders over the lack of accountability and accusations of corruption in Kyiv.
Fedorov’s claim that “democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia” will therefore appeal to those in the West who want Kyiv to accept democratic norms and fully embrace the rule of law before giving further consideration to Ukraine’s long-standing desire to be granted membership of bodies such as Nato and the European Union.
Ukraine would not be the first former Soviet republic to see its overtures to the West stall over governance issues. Serbia, for example, is still waiting for the EU to review its membership bid despite submitting its application back in 2009.
For more than a year, Zelensky has been battling his political foes on a number of fronts. Last year Andriy Yermak, his chief of staff, was forced to resign following an anti-corruption raid on his home, while Fedorov, who is credited with introducing the technological advances that have turbo-charged Ukraine’s war effort, was sacked by Zelensky in mid-July because of tensions between him and army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi.