Zelenskyy on territories: Today, fair version is possible - we stand where we stand
The "fair version" regarding Ukrainian territories in the "peace agreement" is to stop the war on the contact line and subsequently return the territory through diplomatic means.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine, as stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists on Saturday.
We stand where we stand
"I will try to explain once again where we stand on this issue. In my opinion, a fair version is possible today: we stand where we stand. This is the contact line in any region of our state. So far, this is the case. Diplomacy comes into play at the moment of a ceasefire or at the moment of not only a ceasefire, but also the end of the war. That is, as far as Donbas is concerned, the Russians will remain in the temporarily occupied part of our the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. And we can only return such territories through diplomatic means, and we will remain and live in the part of the Donbas controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. These are matters of principle," Zelenskyy explained.
Ukraine has neither the ability nor the desire to leave its territories
The president stressed that it is important for the Ukrainian side "that the Ukrainian authorities control the part of Donbas that we control today."
"In my opinion, this is fair. Although, to be honest, the fact that Russians are on our land is fundamentally unfair. But this is a compromise solution for today. Russia demands that the Ukrainian army withdraw from the territory of the Donetsk region. We explained to our American colleagues that Ukraine cannot withdraw from our territories in any way. I do not see the possibility or desire to do so. And I see that the Ukrainian people do not either," the president noted.
Free economic zone
He noted that the Americans want to find some kind of compromise, and therefore proposed a free economic zone in this territory, where there can be no heavy weapons or troops, but where people will live, there will be civil authorities and police missions.
"I explained that it would not be the case that we would leave and the Russian army would remain. Our army is not leaving because we do not believe that such a free economic zone will be safe. We are confident that the Russian army will want to enter our territory at any moment. That is what it has been doing all these years of aggression. Therefore, this cannot be the case. If you want to withdraw troops anywhere, the same mirror steps are always taken. If we retreat 5 kilometres, then they retreat 5 kilometres. We retreat 10, and they retreat 10. And then there is such a zone. It can be called a free economic zone, or something else, if there are appropriate preferences there. But we still have to live to see all this," he said.
"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 my partners, I'm sorry, but it will be up to the people of Ukraine to decide," Zelenskyy added.
The issue of territories
- Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine, the US and Russia do not have a common position on Donbas during the negotiations on the peace plan.
- According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine received a proposal from its partners to exchange part of the temporarily occupied Donetsk region and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant for territories that the Russians have not yet captured. Kyiv does not support this idea.
- According to media reports, the latest US proposals for a "peace plan" do not require Russia to withdraw its troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which are planned to be included in the demilitarised zone.
- Putin's administration says that Russia may withdraw its troops from Donbas, but order will be maintained by the Russian Guard.
- Axios writes that the US is ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees based on Article 5 of NATO in the event of a withdrawal from Donbas.
