Zelenskyy Proposes Freezing Front Lines to Begin Ukraine Peace Talks

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Kyiv is prepared to halt fighting along the existing front line and pursue diplomatic negotiations as part of efforts to bring the war with Russia to an end.

In an interview with a US television network, Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine would then seek security guarantees from Washington and European countries to support a potential peace agreement.

“Yes. Right now we have to freeze, and I think this is a real way to end this war,” he said, describing a ceasefire as the minimum outcome Ukraine expects from Russia.

Zelenskyy said Kyiv would subsequently engage the US president and European leaders to discuss security arrangements, emphasizing that achieving peace and ensuring the country’s security remain the central priorities.

When asked whether Ukraine would consider giving up the Donbas region in return for ending the conflict, Zelenskyy dismissed suggestions that Moscow was prevailing militarily. He argued that Russia was attempting to force Kyiv to withdraw from Ukrainian territory.

“In 2026, they didn't have success. They are not winning on the battlefield,” he claimed.

The Ukrainian president acknowledged that the prolonged conflict had left the population exhausted but maintained that Ukraine could not surrender its territory.

He reiterated that negotiations should start from the positions currently held by the opposing forces, with a broader peace framework to be worked out through diplomatic efforts.

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