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Lawmakers who wanted to give up their mandates should continue fulfilling their duties in the Verkhovna Rada or go serve on the front line, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said while speaking with journalists.
According to the head of state, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine some MPs have wanted to resign. However, during martial law the Ukrainian parliament must continue functioning fully.
“There may be different wishes and different attitudes toward them, but we are under martial law and must defend our state. Therefore, MPs will have to either serve in parliament in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, or I am ready to discuss with representatives of parliament changes to the mobilization law so that deputies can go to the front,” Zelenskyy said.
“If you are not serving the state in parliament, then serve the state at the front. That is my approach,” the president added.
He noted that he is ready to discuss with parliament possible legislative changes regarding mobilization that would allow MPs to join military service. He also emphasized that, in his view, holding elections during wartime is impossible.
“Regarding how parliament works now: there may be many different reasons and many personal assessments. But the situation needs to be corrected. We need to pull ourselves together and make a decision. We either live this way until the end of the war — cooperate, vote, pass the necessary laws, amendments and personnel decisions — or we change the law and allow the mobilization of deputies who are not ready to continue working in parliament,” Zelenskyy added.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that the Verkhovna Rada supported the early termination of the powers of MP Iryna Kormyshkina after she was served several suspicions, including alleged illicit enrichment.
In addition, in October 2025 parliament also terminated the mandate of MP Anna Kolisnyk from the Servant of the People faction ahead of schedule.