Zelenskyy ready to put peace plan to referendum if Russia agrees to ceasefire, - Axios
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is ready to put a U.S.-proposed peace plan to a referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire for at least 60 days.
The head of state said this in a comment to Axios, Censor.NET reports.
Zelenskyy said he hopes to agree on a framework for ending the war during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on December 28.
Referendum on the peace plan
At the same time, the outlet notes that Trump’s plan still requires territorial concessions from Ukraine in the east. Therefore, Zelenskyy intends to secure approval from the Ukrainian people before signing any deal.
The head of state explained that holding such a referendum would involve serious political, logistical, and security risks. That is why, in his view, a 60-day ceasefire is the minimum period needed to prepare and hold the vote, Axios reports.
Zelenskyy also said he still seeks to improve the terms regarding the territorial issue. But if the peace plan involves "very difficult" decisions on territory, he believes the best course would be to put the entire 20-point plan to a referendum.
He compared the possible vote to the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom, Axios reports.
The President noted that if people are unable to come to polling stations for security reasons, the result could be deemed illegitimate.
"It’s better not to hold a referendum at all than to hold one where people have no ability to come and vote," Axios quoted Zelenskyy as saying.
Term of the agreement
Speaking about security guarantees, the head of state said Ukraine has agreed to the main parts of the documents, but "technical issues" remain, including the term of the agreement.
The United States is proposing a 15-year term for the agreement, but Zelenskyy believes that is not enough. "I think we need more than 15 years," he said, adding that he would consider it a "big success" if Trump supports that position.
