**Ukraine’s Parliament Can Legally End Martial Law if War with Russia Ends by August 2025**
Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has the power to legally end martial law if the war with Russia ends by August 2025. This was revealed by Defense Committee Secretary Roman Kostenko in an interview with New Voice (NV). The comments come as Ukraine faces continued pressure from Russia and the international community to agree on a ceasefire.
**What Does Martial Law Mean for Ukraine?**
Martial law has been in place since February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country as they may be called up for military service. Martial law also prevents Ukraine from holding regular parliamentary and presidential elections.
**Why Does this Matter?**
The ability of Ukraine’s parliament to end martial law if the war ends by August 2025 is significant. It means that Ukraine has a way out of martial law, even if the war with Russia continues beyond that date. This could have implications for Ukraine’s relations with Russia and its ability to hold elections.
**International Pressure on Russia**
The international community is stepping up pressure on Russia to agree on a ceasefire. The United States, in particular, has been pushing for a resolution. However, Defense Committee Secretary Roman Kostenko does not expect the Trump administration to successfully negotiate a resolution.
“The war is unlikely to end soon,” he said. “From a legal point of view, if (martial law) is in place by August, it doesn’t mean that it will be in place by August if the war ends.”
**Prisoner Swap and Other Developments**
A prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia took place recently, with 277 Ukrainian soldiers being released. However, this development did not lead to a ceasefire.
In other news, Iran has filed a case at the International Court of Justice seeking to overturn a ruling that held Tehran responsible for the downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet in 2020.
