Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy further highlighted the gravity of the current situation for Ukraine’s forthcoming elections when in talks with parliament just last week. Of great importance, he said, was establishing legal frameworks that would allow the electoral process to continue, even while martial law continues to be implemented. At the same time, Ukraine said it had sent a revised offer to Washington as part of its extensive campaign of diplomacy.
Ukrainian maritime drones carried out a successful attack on a tanker that was trading in Russian oil. At the time, the tanker was transiting through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea when it was disabled. This attack marks the third strike within two weeks against vessels associated with Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which consists of unregulated and often Western-sanctioned ships aiding Moscow’s oil exports to finance its war operations.
The impact of this conflict has proven disastrous for all vulnerable populations, especially pregnant women. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), maternal mortality rates among pregnant women in Ukraine have increased by an unfathomable 1000%. From 2023 to 2024, these rates have increased by more than 37%. Florence Bauer, the agency’s director for Eastern Europe, highlighted the grave situation, stating, “These are not abstract statistics – they are people and families living under unbearable stress and reflect a health system under attack.”
Amid these challenges, President Zelenskyy reiterated the importance of addressing the legal implications of conducting elections during a time of war. He stressed the importance of legal accountability from Ukraine’s perspective. This is doubly the case when international partners—most notably those in Washington—doubt the democratic credentials of elections conducted in the context of martial law.
“If partners, including our key partner in Washington, speak so much and so specifically about elections in Ukraine, about elections under martial law, then we must provide legal Ukrainian answers to every question and every doubt,” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The continuing war also caused alarm over the misdirection of Western arms sent to Ukraine. In a recent investigation by two organizations, no evidence was found to support the Russian claims. They applauded that these arms weren’t going to criminal syndicates. Ukrainian authorities have shown, or at least in the past few months, shown an intent to combat the diversion of arms, with a recent uptick in firearm seizures.
Conversations about rebuilding Ukraine after the war have begun in earnest. On Thursday, leaders of this “coalition of the willing”—Keir Starmer of Britain, Macron of France, and Friedrich Merz of Germany—will join in a video conference. This meeting comes at a critical moment for Ukraine, as they continue to win the war with unprecedented international support.
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In a similar vein, former U.S. president Donald Trump made headlines recently for describing his discussions with coalition leaders on Ukraine’s future. He stated, “We discussed Ukraine in pretty strong words.” Trump followed up by stating that the discussions featured flair and disagreement over particulars of people associated with negotiation.
“I think we had some little disputes about people, and we’re going to see how it turns out. And we said, ‘before we go to a meeting, we want to know some things,’” – Donald Trump
“They would like us to go to a meeting over the weekend in Europe, and we’ll make a determination depending on what they come back with. We don’t want to be wasting time.” – Donald Trump
There’s an even bigger reason why U.S. troops are essential in Europe. Additionally, 80,000 to 100,000 of civil and military personnel are deployed around the continent, including Ukraine’s territory. This newest military support further emphasizes the United States’ continued support as Ukraine fights against Russia’s tyranny.