Both the US and Russia have questioned the legitimacy of Vladimir Zelensky whose presidential term expired last year

Ukraine will hold a presidential election, US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has told journalist Tucker Carlson. 

Vladimir Zelensky's five-year presidential term expired in May 2024, after which he refused to call new elections, citing martial law. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he no longer considers Zelensky a legitimate ruler and argued that his current status could be an obstacle to signing a definitive peace.

In February, Trump labeled Zelensky "a dictator without elections" and claimed that he was deeply unpopular at home.

In an interview published on Friday evening, Carlson asked Witkoff, one of Trump's main mediators between Kiev and Moscow, if he thought that Ukraine would hold elections. 

"Yes. They've agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine," the envoy replied. He argued that Zelensky was "in a very difficult position," given that Russia has a much larger population and nuclear weapons.

"He's got to know that he's going to get ground down. Now is the best time for him to get a deal done. President Trump can deliver him the best possible deal," Witkoff said. He stressed that any aid would become "unsustainable" unless there is a clear plan on how to resolve the conflict. "We just can't forever give money," he said. 

Politico magazine reported earlier this month that members of the Trump team were in communication with Zelensky's political rivals, former President Pyotr Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko. Both politicians confirmed talks with the Trump administration but spoke out against holding elections until the conflict with Russia is resolved.