"We stand where we stand" - Zelenskyy on the issue of territories in a peace agreement
Kyiv • UNN
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers a ceasefire along the current front line to be fair. He emphasized that Ukraine cannot withdraw from its territories, and the Russians will remain in the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the cessation of hostilities along the current front line fair. The Head of State stated this to journalists, as reported by UNN.
I will try to explain once again where we stand on this issue. In my opinion, a fair version possible today is to stand where we stand. This is the contact line in any region of our state. For now, that's it. As for diplomacy, it's at the moment of a ceasefire or at the moment not only of a ceasefire, but also at the moment of the end of the war. That is, as for Donbas, the Russians will stand on the temporarily occupied part of our Donetsk and Luhansk regions. And we can return such territories only through diplomatic means, and we will stand and live on the part of Donbas that is controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. These are fundamental things. It is important for us that the Ukrainian authorities control the part of Donbas that we control today.
Details
According to him, this would be fair.
"Although, to be honest, the fact that the Russians are on our land is, in principle, unfair. But this is a compromise solution for today. Russia is ultimatumly demanding that the Ukrainian army withdraw from the territory of Donetsk region. We explained to our American colleagues that Ukraine cannot withdraw from our territories in any way. I do not see such a possibility or desire. And I see that the Ukrainian people do not have it either," Zelenskyy noted.
The President emphasized that the Americans constantly want to find some compromise, so they proposed the creation of a free economic zone where there can be no heavy weapons and troops, but people will live there, there is administration, there are police missions.
"I explained that it will not be that we withdraw and the Russian army remains, and our army does not withdraw, because we do not believe that such a free economic zone will be safe. We are sure that the Russian army will want to enter our territory at any moment. Which, in principle, it has been doing all these years of aggression. Therefore, it cannot be like that. If you want a withdrawal of troops anywhere, then identical mirror steps are always taken. If we withdraw 5 kilometers, then they also withdraw 5 kilometers. We withdraw 10, and they withdraw 10. And then there is such a zone. It can be called a free economic zone, or in some other way, if there are appropriate preferences. But we still have to live to see all this. The best, honest option is to stand where we stand. Fewer compromises and less dialogue. If the issue of a free economic zone is raised, then I told the partners, I apologize, but the people of Ukraine will decide this," the President summarized.
Recall
According to Zelenskyy, the most difficult issues remain territories, the Zaporizhzhia NPP, and financing of reconstruction, while Ukraine has submitted its vision to the United States and is awaiting the results of discussions between the American and Russian sides.