Office of President refutes media claims that Ukraine agreed to buffer zone in Donetsk region

Journalists from Le Monde misinterpreted the remarks of Mykhailo Podolyak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President, suggesting that Ukraine is allegedly ready to agree to the creation of a demilitarized zone in the Donetsk region.

According to Ukrinform, officials from the Office of the President clarified this to reporters.

“Whether Ukraine has agreed or has not agreed [to the creation of a buffer zone in the Donetsk region] can be decided only at the highest political level or by the people of Ukraine; the President said this to journalists yesterday,” explained Dmytro Lytvyn, the President’s Communications Adviser.

As reported, on December 11, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists that, as of now, the U.S. side sees a compromise regarding the Donetsk region in the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from part of the territory, while Russian troops would allegedly not enter this zone. The U.S. refers to this territory as a “free economic zone” or “demilitarized zone,” although its governance remains undefined. According to Zelensky, this does not align with Ukraine’s interests, yet dialogue must continue.

Le Monde claimed that Ukraine is supposedly ready to agree to the creation of a demilitarized zone in the Donetsk region as a means to end the war.