President Trump has upended U.S. policy toward Ukraine, canceling sanctions that were enacted just weeks earlier and halting intelligence sharing that has cost civilian lives. The moves, which critics say exceed his legal authority, come as part of a broader effort to pressure Kyiv into negotiations with Moscow.
Among the most contentious demands is Trump's call for Ukraine to hold new elections, a step that would violate the Ukrainian constitution, which prohibits voting under martial law. The country has been under martial law since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Professor David A. Super, who recently taught at Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, argues that Trump's election demand ignores both legal constraints and the practical realities of a nation at war. In an analysis shared with The World Signal, Super noted that even Ukrainians who are critical of President Volodymyr Zelensky oppose wartime elections.
"The basic premise of Trump's claim is fundamentally flawed," Super wrote. "Zelensky is not the obstacle to Ukraine's capitulation. The Ukrainian people are."
Holding elections now would be logistically impossible and dangerously risky. Millions of Ukrainians live under Russian occupation or as refugees abroad, making full participation impossible. Soldiers on the front lines cannot vote in secret, and civilians near the front face similar challenges. Moreover, Russia has systematically targeted civilian gathering places, and voting lines would present prime targets.
Super drew a parallel to Winston Churchill, who led Britain through World War II but was voted out shortly after victory. Many Ukrainians view Zelensky similarly—as a wartime leader, not necessarily their peacetime choice. "Ukrainians who dislike Zelensky most are therefore the strongest opponents of wartime elections," he noted.
Trump's policy reversal also includes canceling sanctions that had been in place since Russia's 2022 invasion, exceeding his authority, and announcing a murky deal to purchase Russian diesel fuel. The halt in intelligence sharing has already had deadly consequences, as Ukrainian cities have been struck by Russian ballistic missiles without advance warning. Recent strikes on Kyiv underscore the immediate danger.
Trump and Elon Musk have denied responsibility for partially blocking Starlink terminals, which are vital for Ukrainian military communications. But the disruption has raised further concerns about U.S. reliability as an ally.
Super argues that Russia's goal is not merely territorial gain but the annihilation of Ukraine as an independent state. "Any peace purchased by conceding Ukrainian land and people to Russia would only last long enough for Russia to rearm," he warned, recalling the Munich analogy where Czechoslovakia's surrender of border defenses paved the way for Nazi conquest.
The administration's pressure campaign has so far failed to produce a breakthrough, as Putin's forces continue to suffer heavy losses. Meanwhile, the constitutional and practical barriers to elections remain insurmountable, and Ukrainians across the political spectrum reject the idea of voting under fire.
