Ukraine extends martial law and general mobilization order.

A bill to extend martial law and general mobilization in Ukraine for 90 days is being prepared for submission to the Verkhovna Rada. If passed, the parliamentary elections scheduled for October would be canceled.

Deputy Verkhovna Rada Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced: “In the coming days, the Parliament will extend martial law and the general mobilization order. It is likely that the extension will last another 90 days, that is, until November 15, 2023.”

Currently, martial law and the general mobilization order will expire on August 18th.

However, extending the deadline would hinder the Ukrainian parliamentary elections in the fall, as they cannot take place under martial law according to the constitution. Furthermore, if the deadline is extended by another 90 days after November 15th, the presidential election will also be impossible to hold. While the presidential election will actually be held in March 2024, the campaign will not be able to begin as planned.

Discussions about the possibility of canceling parliamentary and presidential elections have been taking place in Ukraine recently. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that presidential elections can only take place after the fighting ends.

According to Verkhovna Rada spokesperson Ruslan Stefanchuk, under Ukrainian law, it is not possible to hold any elections during martial law. Therefore, they must be held immediately after martial law ends.

Meanwhile, Kyiv's Western allies have consistently maintained their position, demanding that Ukraine hold the elections within the stipulated timeframe. Tiny Cox, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, stated that the Ukrainian authorities must find a way to organize parliamentary and presidential elections on schedule.

Martial law came into effect in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and has been extended several times. Most recently, it was extended on May 2 for another 90 days, until August 18.