Zelensky hopes to agree with Putin on return of occupied territories
Zelensky said this in an interview for the BBC HARDtalk program with Stephen Sackur.
"I believe in this. Otherwise, I would not run for the President of Ukraine. It is very difficult, and here we need the help of the whole world, it is true. But I do not lose this faith," Zelensky said.
According to him, the law on the special status of Donbas means amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine in accordance with decentralization, "but the amendments to the Constitution that they want are impossible today."
Zelensky also ruled out the possibility of holding elections in the occupied Donbas before Ukraine regains control of its border with Russia.
"It would be wrong to transfer the border to the Ukrainian authorities after the elections. We cannot secure the holding of elections there. None of the observers will come. Who will come to that part and hold elections there if there are armed people there?" he said.
On February 20, 2014, Russia launched its armed aggression against Ukraine, capturing part of its territory - Crimea. Subsequently, Russian regular troops and Russian-led forces occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
Photo: President's Office
