Milan, 11 February (LaPresse) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to announce on 24 February, the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion and the start of the war, a plan for presidential elections and a referendum on a peace agreement with Russia. This was reported by the Financial Times (FT), citing Ukrainian and European officials. According to the newspaper, Ukraine began planning the presidential elections and a referendum after the Trump administration pressured Kiev to hold both votes by 15 May, under threat of losing the security guarantees proposed by the United States. The move, according to Ukrainian and Western officials and other people familiar with the matter, comes at a time of intense pressure from the White House on Kiev to conclude peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in the spring. The Financial Times writes that Ukrainian and Western officials have stressed that both the timetable and the US ultimatum are unlikely to be met, as they depend on several factors, including the possibility of making progress towards a peace agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The plan, according to the FT, underscores Zelensky's desire to maximise his re-election prospects while reassuring Donald Trump that Kiev is not slowing down a peace agreement. According to the work schedule, the Ukrainian Parliament is expected to work on the legislative changes necessary to allow voting in wartime between March and April. Martial law prohibits Ukraine from holding national elections during wartime.