Ukraine should establish a legal framework for holding elections under martial law, even if there are no immediate plans to do so, according to participants of a roundtable discussion titled "Elections Under Martial Law: Balancing Public Demand and Combating Russian Malicious Narratives," held at the Interfax-Ukraine press center on Thursday.

"We must strike a balance between preserving democratic principles and recognizing wartime realities. If we don't start working on the necessary legislation now, we could later find ourselves needing elections but without a suitable or adequate legal framework," said Yuriy Honcharenko, head of the InfoLight.UA research and analysis group.

The experts emphasized that developing a legislative basis doesn't mean elections must happen right away; rather, it's about preparing a backup plan and being ready for various scenarios. This preparation should include mechanisms to secure voting rights for diverse groups of citizens, such as military personnel, internally displaced persons, citizens in occupied territories, and refugees.

The roundtable participants highlighted that there are no clear predictions on how long the war will last. It's possible that in a year or two, the conditions for elections might be even more challenging than they are now. Developing an appropriate legislative base could help avoid rushed decisions and potential mistakes if elections become necessary in the future.

Political analyst Volodymyr Soniuk believes that "the need for presidential and parliamentary elections has been urgent for some time; delaying them leads Ukraine closer to defeat in the war and poses a threat to the survival of the Ukrainian nation and statehood as a whole." He argues, "The claim that it's impossible to hold elections properly during wartime doesn't hold up under scrutiny."

Analysis of public sentiment indicates that most Ukrainians oppose holding elections during wartime. However, Andriy Yeremenko, founder of the Active Group sociological company, pointed to a growing demand for elections. "We are observing a gradual increase in public demand for elections under martial law," he said, noting that this trend reflects a gradual decline in public trust in the current government.

The experts agreed that establishing a legal framework for elections under martial law is essential, despite all the associated challenges and risks. But they stressed that this does not mean elections must take place immediately.