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The Kremlin on Monday rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s offer to hold presidential elections if Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire, saying Moscow wants long-term peace rather than a temporary truce.
"In the Kremlin, both President Putin and officials at other levels have repeatedly stated that we do not want a ceasefire," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
"We want long-term peace and are prepared to do everything possible to achieve it," he noted.
The exchange follows U.S. President Donald Trump's call for Ukraine to "get a new president" and his unilateral announcement of an energy ceasefire, which Russia has neither confirmed nor denied.
Zelenskyy made the offer Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” responding to Trump.
"With all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader. Yes, we are in war and how to do elections is really difficult," he stated.
"Not only that it goes absolutely not secured and it goes out of our law, out of our constitution, but the main thing is to have security infrastructure for this, to give possibility people to vote," he added.
"I know that Putin wanted very much to change the president in Ukraine. I understand it. And if President Trump really wants to have some changes in, during elections, I also shared it with his team. So please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days off. Total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections. Of course, we will be ready for any choice of our people, exactly Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy noted.
Ukrainian law prohibits elections in wartime.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the offer at a news conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi.
"His feigned astonishment at Trump’s statement reflects only one thing: that he very much wants to use any words, initiatives, ideas that enter the public space to promote by hook or by crook his interest in a respite. I do not think he deserves a respite," Lavrov said, according to RIA Novosti.
Lavrov said Europe would use any two-month pause to arm Ukraine’s forces for further fighting.
The Kremlin argued a 60-day ceasefire would allow Kyiv to "regroup and continue war," and said Putin would halt strikes on election day if Ukraine held a vote.
Peskov told RIA Novosti that Trump's call for new leadership in Ukraine reflected Zelenskyy’s lack of political will to end the war.
"Trump said he believes the time has come for a new president. Why? Because the president of Ukraine must make very consequential and very difficult decisions to stop this war," Peskov said.
"Either Zelenskyy assumes that responsibility and demonstrates that political will, or he does not," he added.
Trump said Saturday: "I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made many deals that, for some reason, he never does. I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president."
"Zelenskyy could have settled this war many times, many, many times, and he chooses not to," Trump said, adding: "We told them, do whatever you want, but don’t hit the diesel fuel because there’s a big problem. Big shortage."
"President Putin would like to see a settlement strongly and look, he’s freeing up a lot of oil for the world," he said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded that Zelenskyy "has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide. Statements from abroad only confirm that he is doing his job well. He deserves support."
Asked whether an energy ceasefire was in place, Peskov said: "Contacts are continuing. As soon as we have anything to say on this matter, we will be sure to let you know."
Zelenskyy told ABC that Russia attacked Ukraine’s electricity sector 196 times in the past week, plus 20 times on gas and oil facilities, killing 153 civilians. "It’s a signal that Russia doesn’t feel real pressure," he said.
"We are ready for energy ceasefire, not to attack energy both sides. And if the Russians want us not attack their diesel, their refineries and et cetera, we are asking President Trump, give them signal, not attack energy infrastructure of Ukraine," he said, adding, "It’s fair deal. It’s not the best deal. The best deal not, not to have a war, to stop Putin. But the first step is ceasefire, energy ceasefire."
"Because it’s more difficult to stop Putin than to pressure others. Because it’s more simple to speak about the prices and connect it with Ukraine," Zelenskyy said, adding that rising prices were driven by the war in the Middle East and the Hormuz blockade.
"But in any case, we will defend ourselves, because otherwise we will lose our lives and homes, our freedom, independence, Ukraine. We can’t lose it. And the truth is on our side," he said, as Moscow rejected the 60-day ceasefire.
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