Russia-Ukraine conflict: "There’s value in continuing dialogue"

CGTN Europe

CGTN Europe interviewed Mark Cancian, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Transcript

00:00Well, President Zelensky says wartime elections could be held within three months if Washington and other allies provide security guarantees.

00:08He made his comments after President Trump questioned Ukraine's democracy.

00:13Well, let's talk now to Mark Kansian, the senior advisor at Washington Center for Strategic and International Studies.

00:21Mark, welcome back. Good to see you. Does Ukraine really need an election now?

00:27Well, constitutionally, they don't. The Constitution provides for suspending elections during times of martial law and emergency.

00:39But this has been a talking point for the Russians and many of the people, commentators who oppose Ukraine.

00:47So there's probably some value in holding elections.

00:51We're seeing these reports that the coalition of the willing is having a video call tomorrow, I understand.

01:00They're meeting in person in Berlin on on Monday.

01:05What might we read into that, if anything?

01:07Well, there have been two events in the last week or so.

01:13One is that Russian intransigence about negotiations has become clear.

01:20They've not agreed to the peace proposals that the United States and Europe and Ukraine have put together.

01:27And then Trump has become increasingly anxious to get an agreement and has now been pushing Zelensky.

01:36So I suspect that this meeting will consider both of those and push back.

01:41The meetings are easy in a sense, aren't they?

01:44I mean, it's actually doing something that seems more difficult.

01:47Is this time going to be any different?

01:48Well, it's worth being united, that is, having a united position for Ukraine and the Europeans so they can talk with Trump and Putin.

02:00So there's value in continuing that dialogue and showing that that unity continues.

02:07I just want to talk about the practicality of the elections briefly.

02:11I mean, as well as security at polling stations, how might front-line soldiers and millions of displaced refugees vote in any election?

02:23Well, keep in mind that the United States has always held elections during wartime.

02:27We did that even in our civil war.

02:29We did it in World War I, World War II, and all through the subsequent wars.

02:34When I was in the Marines deployed to Iraq in 2006, I voted in the by-elections.

02:41So for many democracies, this is not unusual.

02:44What the United States does is it has mail-in ballots for people abroad and for the military

02:54and then provides security where needed for polling stations in the country.

03:02And the Ukrainians could expand mail-in voting in areas where security is uncertain.

03:11And would an election now play into Putin's hands, as some Ukrainian members of parliament might argue?

03:22I think that an election actually might strengthen Ukraine's hand,

03:27because one of the talking points for Russia and for many commentators in the United States who oppose Ukraine

03:34is that this is an illegitimate government.

03:36Therefore, it should not be negotiating.

03:39And an election would establish a government that represents the people

03:44and is more credible than a government that hasn't faced questions.

03:50Mark, always good to see you, and thank you so much for your time.

03:54Mark Hansian, the Senior Advisor at Washington Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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