Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that Ukraine is prepared to freeze the conflict along the current front line and pursue diplomatic negotiations to end the war with Russia. He said Kyiv would subsequently seek security guarantees from the United States and European nations.
In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy said a ceasefire was the baseline expectation Ukraine held regarding Russia.
“Yes. Right now we have to freeze, and I think this is a real way to end this war,” he stated.
He said Kyiv would then engage American and European leaders to seek security guarantees, emphasising that peace and security remained the country’s primary priorities.
Asked whether Ukraine would agree to surrender the Donbas region in exchange for ending hostilities, Zelenskyy rejected the suggestion that Moscow held battlefield superiority. He asserted that Russian authorities were attempting to pressure Kyiv into abandoning its territory.
“In 2026, they didn’t have success. They are not winning on the battlefield,” he said.
Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukrainians were experiencing exhaustion because of the ongoing conflict but maintained that the country could not simply give up its land.
He reiterated that negotiations should begin from the existing battlefield positions, allowing a comprehensive peace plan to be developed through diplomatic channels.
The Ukrainian leader also described his meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, Norway, on Tuesday as “productive”. He thanked the Norwegian Prime Minister for facilitating the discussions, which included European representatives and US officials, including Jared Kushner, who participated remotely.
Zelenskyy said the talks focused on possible ways to de-escalate the conflict and expressed hope that Witkoff’s engagements in Russia would produce constructive feedback.
He identified potential initial steps towards de-escalation, including ceasefires covering food security, maritime operations and power grids.
Zelenskyy also said he had promptly endorsed the idea of an energy ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump.
“I hope that today, in some hours, we will have some results,” he added.
