Elections in Ukraine should be held no earlier than six months after the end of martial law, said David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction.
“Let me remind you once again that, first of all, elections are impossible during martial law. And secondly, within the framework of the Jean Monnet Dialogue, the leaders of all factions and groups have agreed that elections will be held no earlier than 6 months after the end of martial law,” he wrote in Telegram.
He also recommends that everyone once again read the text of this document with the conclusions adopted during the ninth Monet Dialogue (Jean Monnet Dialogues for Peace and Democracy), which he attached below the text of the statement.
The presidential, parliamentary and local elections in Ukraine are being prepared for simultaneous holding by the current authorities on October 26 this year, according to MP and leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko, based on information from his own sources.
In an interview with Censor.net published on Sunday, answering the question of when, in his opinion, elections in Ukraine are possible, he said: “Write it down – October 26 this year.”
When asked how he came to this conclusion, the politician replied: “You know them, they are on Bankova Street (where the Office of the President of Ukraine is located). According to our sources in law enforcement. According to our sources in the printing plant “Ukraine”, which is currently processing as many ballots as necessary. According to our sources in the Central Election Commission, which is starting to make changes to the voter register According to our sources in the Ministry of Justice, which is opening its first office in Berlin. This is solely for the preparation of the elections.”
“So I think the elections will be held at the end of the year. What should they be tied to? According to the Constitution, parliamentary elections should be held at the end of the year. Although they should have been held two years ago. And at the end of October we have to have local elections. The government’s dream is to hold all elections simultaneously. But the Americans do not allow it,” Poroshenko said.
At the same time, he believes that representatives of the current government are afraid to leave it and “are now preparing everything to leave them without opponents and crawl back into power, destroying democracy, freedom, and transparency of elections.”
Poroshenko also said that he was categorically against holding elections in the near future.
He said that he had been in contact with Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2021-2024) Valeriy Zaluzhny, but had not discussed running for office with him.
“No, we did not talk about political issues, because I stand by my position – I am against elections. I believe that there may be a situation when there will be no place to go. I believe that the very existence of the state is now under threat,” the European Solidarity leader said.
Poroshenko denied the information that he had allegedly told representatives of partner countries that elections should be held in Ukraine as soon as possible. “It’s just incompetence, unprofessionalism (spreading such information). They do not understand that if I incite international partners, I am shooting myself in the foot. Do you know why? I have, but maybe 20-30 percent of them are secret meetings. If I say everywhere, including in interviews, that elections are suicide, and then I come and incite you to elections, no one will talk to me. This is a different policy, not the policy of 5-6 managers,” he said.
At the same time, the politician believes that the sanctions imposed against him by the National Security and Defense Council have actually launched the election campaign. “Today, the elections begin with sanctions, because in fact they have acted as a kind of flag for the start of the election campaign,” Poroshenko said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that without security guarantees, the economic agreement with the United States on rare earth metals will not work.
“If we do not receive security guarantees from the United States, I believe that the economic agreement will not work. Everything must be honest,” Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News.
The President of Ukraine made it clear that any deal involving Ukrainian minerals must be accompanied by security guarantees from the United States.
“We looked at what America imports, what rare earth metals, what America imports for its industry. And when we took titanium as an example, we say that we have titanium in Ukraine, and this is accurate information. And it’s enough for the industry for 40 years,” he said.
“Help us protect it, and we will make money on it together,” Zelenskyy said.
For its part, the United States called Ukraine’s position short-sighted, the Associated Press reports.
White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement that “President Zelensky is short-sighted in his assessment of the great opportunity the Trump administration has provided to Ukraine.”
Hughes said that the minerals deal would allow U.S. taxpayers to “recoup” money sent to Kyiv while also helping to develop Ukraine’s economy.
Hughes added that the White House believes that “binding economic ties with the United States will be the best safeguard against future aggression and an integral part of a lasting peace.” He added: “The United States recognizes this, the Russians recognize this, and Ukrainians should recognize this,” AR writes.
The Ukrainian government delegation to Saudi Arabia is preparing for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the country, particularly in the economic sphere, with large-scale public-private partnership projects and “attractive privatization opportunities worth half a billion dollars” already presented, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko said.
“We started the working visit of the Ukrainian government delegation to Saudi Arabia with a meeting with almost a hundred local entrepreneurs (…) We presented projects in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. As well as large-scale public-private partnership projects and attractive privatization opportunities totaling half a billion dollars in investment,” she wrote on her Facebook page on Sunday.
According to her, “dozens of meetings will be held in the coming days to prepare President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Saudi Arabia.” In particular, important economic agreements with the countries of the region are being prepared for signing.
According to her, “dozens of meetings will be held in the coming days to prepare President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Saudi Arabia.” In particular, important economic agreements with the countries of the region are being prepared for signing.
Svyrydenko noted that Saudi Arabia is now actively supporting Ukraine. They have allocated $500 million to support Ukraine’s recovery. “Now we can illustrate the call to invest in Ukraine without waiting for the end of the war with very specific businesses from Saudi Arabia. For example, FAS Energy, which invested in renewable energy in Ukraine. Or SALIC, which last year in September became a co-owner of one of the largest Ukrainian agricultural holdings, MHP, acquiring a 12.6% stake in the company. I am immensely grateful to all those companies that show leadership and that it is possible and necessary to invest in Ukraine now,” Svyrydenko said.
“I am convinced that we have prospects for even more active attraction of investments from the Middle East. Today, we have seen significant interest primarily in infrastructure projects, energy projects, proposals in the field of innovation, agribusiness, especially fertilizer production, where Saudi Arabia has expertise,” the Deputy Prime Minister added.
According to her, exports to Saudi Arabia increased from $291 million in 2023 to $368 million in 2024. “And we expect growth this year as well. We have not yet reached pre-war levels, but I hope we can achieve this, and such business forums will be worth it,” she emphasized.
PU “UKRSADVINPROM” together with its members traditionally took part in the international exhibition FRUIT LOGISTICA, which takes place in Berlin. This is one of the most important events for the global fruit and vegetable market, which brings together producers, suppliers, processors, logistics companies and retailers from all over the world.
The exhibition covers the key areas of the agricultural sector:
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Production – advanced technologies for growing, maintaining quality and marketing products.
Innovations and digital technologies – process automation, modern monitoring and management systems.
Logistics and transportation – efficient solutions to optimize the supply of products.
Sustainable development – ecological farming, economical use of resources.
This year’s stand, organized in cooperation with ITC and UKRSADVINPROM, was presented by six leading Ukrainian companies:
Eco Berry Farm – growing, processing and freezing berries and forest products.
Sady Dnipra LLC (UApple) is a producer of premium apples exported to Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Gadz Farm is a large-scale producer of apples, pears, and plums with strong export capabilities.
USPA is an association representing the interests of Ukrainian agricultural producers at the international level.
VITAGRO Agro Holding is one of the TOP-5 largest orchards in Ukraine, producing up to 15,000 tons of apples annually.
BERRY HUB LLC is a producer and marketer of fresh and frozen berries.
Why is participation in FRUIT LOGISTICA important for Ukraine?
Expansion of sales markets – establishing partnerships with international distributors and retailers.
Attracting investors – meetings with leading players in the agricultural sector and investors.
Promotion of Ukrainian products – strengthening the image of Ukraine as a reliable exporter of quality agricultural products.
By participating in FRUIT LOGISTICA, Ukrainian companies get new opportunities for development and integration into global trade networks, which further strengthens Ukraine’s position in the global agricultural market.
February 2025 was a month that reflected the current challenges and prospects for the Ukrainian and global economies. Geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and global changes in trade flows continue to affect economic development. Maksim Urakin, Founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, PhD in Economics, noted that Ukraine is showing signs of gradual economic recovery despite the difficult internal and external conditions.
Ukraine’s economy in February 2025
According to the National Bank, real GDP growth in January 2025 was 3.4% compared to the same period in 2024. The main drivers of growth were:
– Agriculture: the recovery in exports and the expansion of sales markets provided an increase of 6.5%.
– IT sector: IT services remained a key source of foreign exchange earnings, showing an increase of 10.4%.
– Construction: thanks to large-scale investments in infrastructure and international support, the sector grew by 4.2%.
“Amid the ongoing war and global turmoil, Ukraine’s economy is showing both signs of recovery and certain problems that need attention,” said Maksym Urakin, founder of Experts Club.
In January 2025, annual inflation was 12.9%, which is higher than in 2024 (12%). This is due to rising food and energy prices. At the same time, the hryvnia exchange rate remains relatively stable, fluctuating between UAH 39-40 per dollar, thanks to the support of international partners and export earnings.
“The decline in inflation is a positive signal for the economy, but an important task remains to increase the level of household incomes to compensate for the impact of past inflationary shocks,” Urakin emphasized.
In January 2025, Ukraine’s exports increased to $3.1 billion, driven by shipments of products and metals. However, imports also increased, mainly due to energy and equipment. The negative balance of foreign trade remains.
“Export dynamics show that Ukrainian companies are actively looking for new markets. Strengthening competitiveness and improving logistics could be the key to reducing the trade deficit,” Urakin said.
In January 2025, the state budget revenues of Ukraine amounted to UAH 282.8 billion, including UAH 128.2 billion for the general fund, which is 83.4% and 10.5% more than in January 2024, respectively. The main role in this was played by revenues from VAT and excise taxes, as well as international assistance. Ukraine’s international reserves increased to $40.1 billion, one of the highest levels in recent years.
“Financial support from international partners remains an important factor in macroeconomic stability. However, it is important to lay the foundation for independent economic growth now,” Urakin emphasized.
Global economic situation in February 2025
According to the IMF, global GDP is expected to grow by 2.9% in 2025, slightly lower than in 2024 (3%). The main reasons for the slowdown are the high cost of borrowing, uncertainty in the financial markets and a decline in global demand.
THE UNITED STATES: The economy is showing moderate growth at 2.3%, driven by robust domestic demand and investment in innovative industries.
European Union: The growth rate remains low at 1.1% due to the ongoing energy crisis and problems in the industry.
China: Growth slowed to 4.5%, due to the real estate crisis and a decline in exports.
India: Stable growth of 6.8%, remaining one of the fastest growing economies.
“The global economy is in a state of fragile balance. The main risks are related to geopolitical instability and high interest rates. However, countries with diversified economies are better able to cope with these challenges,” – Mr. Urakin said.
Oil: Oil prices in February 2025 are around $83 per barrel, having stabilized after the spikes of late 2024.
Gas: The European market continues to be under pressure, with an average gas price of €67 per MWh, due to persistent supply shortages.
Metals: Demand for steel and aluminum has declined, putting pressure on the export capacity of developing countries.
Central banks in major economies are keeping interest rates high to fight inflation. For example, the US Federal Reserve keeps its interest rate at 5.5%, which limits access to cheap capital but helps to reduce inflation.
Ukraine’s economy in February 2025 shows signs of stability and growth, but risks associated with inflation, foreign trade deficit, and dependence on international aid remain. The global economy is slowing down, which creates additional challenges for emerging market countries.
“It is important for Ukraine to continue attracting foreign investment, developing its export potential and strengthening its domestic market. Only systemic reforms and integration into the global economy will allow us to overcome the current difficulties and create the basis for long-term growth,” summarized Maksim Urakin.
You can learn more about current trends in the global economy in the video on the Experts Club YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT0sE3ymMnQ
You can subscribe to the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
