Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko claimed via Telegram that Volodymyr Zelensky's office has begun abusing the extension of martial law in Ukraine and usurping power.
Poroshenko said: "Now another extension of martial law is underway, the fifteenth time they have asked parliament to support it. But why a month before the end of the previous extension? I want to emphasize that we must recognize the obvious: the authorities have begun to abuse martial law. They are using it not only to defend the country but also to build an authoritarian regime."
Poroshenko added that the creation of unlimited power for Zelensky's office over citizens and members of parliament is humiliating for all of Ukraine, as he described it.
It's worth noting that Zelenskyy submitted bills to the Ukrainian Parliament on April 14 to extend martial law and mobilization in Ukraine for 90 days, starting May 9. As Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak stated, martial law and mobilization will be extended until August 6. He added that this will be the fifteenth vote on extending these regimes.
Over the past few weeks, Ukrainian media have speculated that martial law and general mobilization may not be extended against the backdrop of negotiations on a settlement to the conflict involving the United States. Possible dates for presidential and parliamentary elections have even been mentioned, including this summer. However, Ukrainian authorities claim that it is impossible to hold elections during martial law. Moreover, according to Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, elections held in Ukraine after the end of martial law "do not fall under any of the cases established in the constitution" and therefore require the adoption of a new law. As Stefanchuk explained, the constitution mentions regular and extraordinary elections, whereas Ukraine will hold elections after the end of martial law or after the end of the conflict.