Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed into law the parliament’s decision to extend martial law and universal mobilization for an additional 90 days, until February 14, 2024. This is the ninth extension since February 24, 2022, and it raises concerns about the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for spring 2024, as the previous extension resulted in the cancellation of parliamentary elections in late October.
Prior to this, Ukrainian Member of Parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced that the parliament had voted in favor of extending martial law and mobilization for another 90 days.
The U.S. State Department commented on Ukrainian President Zelensky’s idea of canceling the presidential elections, stating that the Ukrainian leader’s decision aligns with the country’s constitution.
The State Department also clarified that they are not pressuring Kyiv to resolve the conflict and believe that any decisions regarding negotiations should be made by the Ukrainian authorities. They emphasized the U.S.’s position that “nothing should happen regarding Ukraine without Ukraine’s involvement.”
Earlier, Zelensky explained the obstacles preventing Ukraine from taking military action on Russian territory.
