Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that the citizens of Ukraine would not support a peace agreement that involves ceding the Donbas region to Russia. On Tuesday, Zelensky advised US negotiators against advocating for a peace strategy that the victims of the conflict would perceive as a failure.
“Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. They will not forgive me, nor will they forgive the United States,” Zelensky stated in an interview with Axios. His remarks came as representatives from the US, Russia, and Ukraine gathered in Geneva for diplomatic talks. “This is part of our country, encompassing our citizens, our flag, and our land,” he emphasized.
Zelensky criticized what he described as an unfair suggestion from President Trump, who had called on Ukraine, rather than Russia, to make concessions to achieve peace.
According to Ukraine’s constitution, any decision to alter the nation’s territorial integrity would require a referendum, allowing the Ukrainian populace to have the final say.
Meanwhile, Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been striving to quickly broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. This proposal includes having Ukraine relinquish control over 15% to 20% of the Donbas region, transforming it into a “free economic zone.”
Under the US-backed peace plan, Ukraine would be obligated to withdraw its military forces from the area. However, Kyiv has previously stated it would not agree to such a move unless the Kremlin also agreed to reduce its military presence in the region by a similar margin.
Moscow continues to demand full ownership of the area, and has not abandoned its desire to push further into Ukraine if given the chance.
The Ukrainian public may vote for a peace deal that would freeze the frontlines where they are currently if it included rock-solid security guarantees from the US and Europe that would prevent Moscow from re-invading Ukraine, Zelensky said, but the inclusion of land Moscow has not even taken is a no-go.
“I think that if we will put in the document … that we stay where we stay on the contact line, I think that people will support this [in a] referendum. That is my opinion,” he said.
But holding a nationwide election during wartime presents major logistical and security challenges in the absence of a cease-fire, which the Kremlin has refused to provide.
While Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has offered to stop pummeling Ukraine for a single day for a presidential election, Zelensky told Axios it would take at least 60 to set up the infrastructure to hold such an event.
Zelensky said the only real shot at breaking the deadlock over territory is a face-to-face sit-down with Putin, according to Axios — adding he’s already directed his team to push for a potential leaders’ summit in Geneva.
The Ukraine president said the two leaders agreed on some things during talks in Abu Dhabi — that there should be a way to monitor a cease-fire with drones, helmed by the US.
