Zelensky ‘Planning Election and Peace Deal Referendum’ | Ukraine: The Latest
•February 11, 2026
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Why It Matters
Uncertainty over elections or a peace referendum directly impacts Ukraine’s legitimacy and Western backing, while the EU loan and sanction loopholes shape the war’s financial and strategic dynamics.
Key Takeaways
- •Zelensky's election or peace‑deal referendum plans remain uncertain
- •EU Parliament approved €90 billion loan to fund Ukraine's budget and military
- •Russian drones struck Volgograd refinery; Ukraine reports casualties in Kharkiv region
- •Starlink shutdown fuels Russian black‑market price hikes and security concerns
- •Russia modernizes tank barrel plant using Western equipment despite sanctions
Summary
The episode of "Ukraine The Latest" wrestles with mixed signals about President Volodymyr Zelensky’s intentions for the upcoming fourth anniversary of Russia’s full‑scale invasion, amid speculation that he may announce either a snap presidential election or a referendum on a peace deal.
The show details a series of military developments – Ukrainian drones striking the Volgograd oil refinery, explosions in Lviv, civilian casualties near Kharkiv, and a power outage in Zaporizhia – while also noting Russia’s continued production of tank and artillery barrels using imported Western machinery, underscoring the limits of sanctions.
Notable remarks include Zelensky’s statement that “when there’s no security, there’s nothing else,” a Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll showing 55 % support for a peace‑deal referendum, and the Financial Times report that the White House is pressuring Kyiv to resolve the conflict before the U.S. midterms.
The mixed messaging on elections threatens Ukraine’s political stability, the €90 billion EU loan bolsters Kyiv’s fiscal and defence capacity, and the Starlink shutdown combined with Russian equipment imports highlight both the resilience and vulnerabilities of the war’s logistics and sanction regimes.
Original Description
Day 1,448.
Today, we assess where things stand after mixed messaging has left Kyiv, Moscow and Western capitals confused over whether President Zelensky will use the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion to announce presidential elections or a referendum on a possible peace deal. We report on Russia’s fury over the reported Starlink switch-off, a communications crisis compounded by the Kremlin’s tightening restrictions on Telegram, and continue to follow the Olympic controversy surrounding Ukraine’s so-called “Helmet of Memory”. Later, we hear the latest analysis from our Russia-watcher.
Contributors
Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.
Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.
James Kilner (Foreign Analyst). @jkjourno on X.
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CONTENT REFERENCED:
Zelensky plans presidential elections and peace deal referendum (The Telegraph):
Ukrainian athletes defy IOC and double down in helmet protest against Russia (The Telegraph):
Behind the Guns: Western Tools, Russian Firepower (Front Intelligence):
Chris O Starlink thread on X:
Zelensky won't announce elections on war anniversary amid talks of US-driven timeline, source says (Kyiv Independent):
Zelenskyy planning elections in Ukraine and vote on peace deal (Financial Times):
Elections in Ukraine — a guide for beginners (and US Presidents) (Kyiv Independent):
The Belarusian woman at the center of Epstein’s final days (Kyiv Independent):
LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:
The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest
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