Ukraine Holds an “Election”

Ukraine held an election to determine the true president. Naturally this election did not include the voice of the people. Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed a resolution this week to secure Zelensky’s position for as long as martial law remains in effect. All 286 deputies voted in favor of the resolution unanimously.

Zelensky made headlines after claiming he’d humbly step down from his position if it would bring peace to Ukraine. Russia has refused to negotiate with Zelensky as they believe he is NOT the legitimate leader of Ukraine. Then Donald Trump came out and called Zelensky a “dictator” and “moderately successful comedian” for banning elections under martial law.

Throughout history, declaring martial law has often served as a pretext for governments to suspend elections and consolidate power. This is not a theory—it is a historical pattern. The Roman Republic saw its transition to empire when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, using a state of emergency to override the Senate. Once martial law is declared, the rule of law becomes whatever the ruling authority dictates.

In the United States, we have seen glimpses of this strategy before. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus, allowing indefinite detention without trial. While justified as a wartime measure, it set a dangerous precedent: that constitutional rights could be swept aside in the name of national security. Similarly, Franklin Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese Americans under Executive Order 9066 was an example of government suspending civil liberties when fear overtakes reason.

There was a push to declare martial law prior to the 2024 US Presidential Election that was luckily foiled.

The real danger comes when martial law is used not just as a reaction to a crisis but as a tool to maintain political control. A government facing economic collapse, civil unrest, or the breakdown of confidence in leadership could easily justify “postponing” elections under the pretense of maintaining order. History shows that once this power is seized, it is rarely relinquished voluntarily. It is the nature of government to expand its power at every opportunity, and the people, more often than not, fail to recognize the trap until it is too late.

Ukrainian politicians are hailing this “election” a massive success indicative of the entire country’s support for Zelensky. The people had absolutely no say in the matter. Russia still believes Ukraine has no true leader, and therefore, no true person to negotiate with. Zelensky has merely become the face of the war, Ukraine’s mascot, who is not seen as a serious leader by his foes.