Ukraine’s presidential and parliamentary elections remain barred under martial law, extended for the twentieth time through 31 October 2026 by parliamentary vote in July. Ukrainian law prohibits national votes during the regime imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion, and recent Kyiv International Institute of Sociology polling shows 71 percent of respondents oppose holding elections while fighting continues. President Zelenskyy has stated readiness only if allies guarantee security for soldiers, displaced citizens, and frontline areas, while emphasizing risks of division. Hypothetical candidate polls place Zelenskyy and former commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi at the top, yet legislative preparations and external security assurances have not advanced sufficiently to lift the prohibition. The next martial-law review window in late October will determine whether any election timeline can advance before year-end.