Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian society would not agree to a peace deal involving the transfer of Donbas territories to Russia. He made these remarks in an interview with Axios.

According to the head of state, Ukrainians would reject agreements that entail a unilateral withdrawal of troops from Donbas and the region's transition under Moscow's control. This comes as the third round of direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian sides was taking place in Geneva, where control over Donbas remains a key issue, with part of it still held by Kyiv.

Zelenskyy recounted that American mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner tried to convince him that Russia is interested in ending the war. However, the Ukrainian leader noted he views Moscow's intentions more skeptically and urged against imposing a peace plan on Ukrainian society that it might perceive as a defeat.

He also criticized statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had previously publicly called on Kyiv to make concessions to achieve peace. In Zelenskyy's view, a sustainable settlement is not possible through "gifting victory" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At the same time, the Ukrainian leader thanked Trump for mediation efforts and noted that his contacts with American negotiators are occurring in a more constructive atmosphere without public pressure.

Zelenskyy reiterated that a key to advancing negotiations could be a personal meeting with Putin, and he reported that he has tasked his team with raising the issue of a possible leaders' summit in Geneva.

According to Axios, the American side also proposed an option where Ukrainian troops would leave controlled areas of Donbas, and the territory would gain status as a demilitarized free economic zone. However, the proposal did not specify the sovereignty issue of the region.

Source: kun.uz