Zelensky cites war in rejecting 2024 Ukrainian presidential election

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken out against initiatives to hold a presidential election in March despite the ongoing Russian invasion of his country.
"I think that elections are not appropriate now," Zelensky said in his evening video message broadcast in Kiev on Monday.
Creating political division in the country, which has to deal with other challenges due to the full-scale Russian invasion, is not appropriate.
A cancellation of the elections at the end of March 2024 had been expected. However, there has recently been a growing number of voices in favour of political competition and elections.
The resources of the state and Ukrainians should instead be focused on its "victory" over Russia, said Zelensky. "And we all understand that in times of war, when there are many challenges, it is absolutely irresponsible to throw the topic of elections into society lightly and playfully."
Due to martial law, the regular parliamentary elections scheduled by the constitution for the end of October had already been cancelled.
Most recently, there had been speculation in the Ukrainian media about alleged changes to the law to allow presidential elections even in times of war.
Martial law was imposed throughout the country after the Russian army invaded more than 20 months ago. The applicable law only provides for elections after the end of the war.
Zelensky has been in office since May 2019.