Any peace agreement in Ukraine requires a referendum.

Klitschko believes that any move Zelensky makes could actually put him at risk of "political suicide."

In an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera on July 21, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital predicted that the next few months would be "very difficult" for Zelensky. He said: "We are waiting for the elections in the US, but to establish peace, we will need a referendum."

Klitschko believes that a nationwide vote may be necessary to "legitimize" a potential peace agreement with Moscow, as any compromise would be difficult to explain to the Ukrainian public. However, the Kyiv mayor stressed that continuing hostilities for several more years is also not an option.

Klitschko stated, “I don’t think [Zelensky] could have reached such painful and important agreements on his own without public legitimacy.” “How do you explain to the country that it’s necessary to give up territories that have claimed the lives of thousands of our military heroes? Any move he makes risks political suicide. It would be a nightmare if we had to fight for another two years,” the mayor added.

The official asserted that forming an Israeli-style national unity government could be an option for Ukraine to overcome its difficult period and “legitimize” a potential peace agreement. “However, I don’t think [Zelensky] is willing to relinquish the centralized power in his hands while imposing martial law,” Klitschko admitted.

Zelensky remains in power in Ukraine despite his term officially expiring in May. He decided not to hold presidential elections, citing martial law due to the conflict with Russia. Moscow has signaled that Zelensky's legitimacy has "expired" and that he is no longer considered the country's de facto president.