The Ukrainian president says wartime elections, as called for by the ex-defense minister, could "split Ukraine." He also said Russia was planning to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops after September polls there.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that holding elections in his country amid the full-scale Russian invasion would be highly dangerous, in remarks made in response to a call from the former defense minister to organize a vote.

"I believe that in a war like this, elections as such are a huge risk. Elections right now are a tsunami for the country that will split Ukraine," Zelenskyy said in remarks released on Sunday.

Under martial law, elections are currently suspended in the country as it fights the invading Russian forces. The measure has wide public support.

"If we want to destroy the country, then we can move in the direction of elections during these times of war," Zelenskyy said in the firm rejection of the proposal by former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Fedorov made the call a month after being fired by Zelenskyy as defense minister.

Fedorov enjoys significant support among younger Ukrainians, thousands of whom have been calling for his reinstatement, with some saying he could seek to challenge Zelenskyy if an election did take place.

However, a recent poll showed that Zelenskyy would still be more popular as a presidential candidate.

Zelenskyy was critical of Fedorov in his remarks, saying: "I believe he is going himself — or is being pushed — toward wrong things." 

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Zelenskyy also said that Kyiv believed Russia was planning to mobilize 300,000 more troops for its invasion after parliamentary elections take place in September.

He added that Moscow might draft hundreds of thousands more in 2027 as it seeks to capture the rest of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, one of its main strategic goals.

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As Ukraine continues to come under intense missile attacks from its neighbor, Zelenskyy also spoke of having struck an agreement with Germany on the supply of 600 Patriot PAC-2 missile interceptors for 2027-28.

The announcement comes after German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visited Ukraine on Saturday.

The US Patriots are the only weapon in Kyiv's arsenal that can take on Russia's Iskander-M and Kinzhal ballistic missiles, but ammunition for the system is running short.

France on Saturday also promised to deliver new interceptor missiles.

As Europe seeks to fill the gap left by a US that, under Donald Trump, has shown ever more reluctance to help Ukraine, Norway has also said it plans to ‌give ⁠another ⁠85 billion Norwegian ​crowns ($9.2 billion; €7.8 billion) in ​financial ​support ‌to Kyiv in the 2027 ‌fiscal year.

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