Zelensky says any territorial compromise must be based on current battle line
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a possible compromise for Ukraine on territorial issues would be agreeing to stop along the current contact line.
The head of state said this while answering journalists’ questions, Ukrinform reports.
“In my view, today a fair option is this: we stand where we stand. This is the contact line in any region of our country. (…) That is, the Russians, as far as Donbas is concerned, would remain in the temporarily occupied parts of our Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and we could return those territories only through diplomatic means. And we will stand and live in the part of Donbas that is controlled by the Ukrainian authorities,” Zelensky said.
He stressed that these are fundamental issues. “In any format, no matter how we approach this issue, it is important for us that Ukrainian authorities control the part of Donbas we currently control. In my opinion, this is fair,” the President said, adding that in fact the very presence of Russians on Ukrainian land is unfair.
According to Zelensky, Russia is issuing an ultimatum demanding that the Ukrainian army withdraw from the territory of Donetsk region.
“We explained to our American colleagues that Ukraine cannot withdraw unconstitutionally – I have said this before – from any of our territories. I see neither the possibility nor the desire for that, and I see that the Ukrainian people do not have it either,” the President noted.
At the same time, he said, the Americans are constantly trying to find some kind of compromise. “That is why they proposed a free economic zone, as if there could be no heavy weapons or troops there, but at the same time people live there, there is governance, police missions, and so on,” Zelensky said.
“I explained that it cannot be the case that we withdraw while Russia and its army remain, and our army leaves. Because we do not believe that such a free economic zone would be safe. We are convinced that the Russian army would want to enter our territory at any moment – which, in fact, it has done throughout all these years of aggression,” the President emphasized.
He added that any withdrawal, if possible at all, could only be reciprocal. “If we pull back 5 km, they pull back 5 km. If we pull back 10 km, they pull back 10 km. Then such a zone can exist. It may be called a free economic zone or something else if there are appropriate preferences. But we still have to live to see that. The best and most honest option is to stand where we stand.”
Zelensky also said: “If the issue of a free economic zone is nevertheless raised, I told our partners – excuse me, but this will be decided by the people of Ukraine.”
As reported by Ukrinform, in a speech to the Dutch parliament, Zelensky said that Russians are losing about 30,000 people killed every month, but Russian leader Vladimir Putin is indifferent to this because he believes only in power and money.
Speaking to journalists on a plane en route to the Netherlands, the President also said that Russia’s position on Donbas has not changed and that it seeks to occupy the region.