Ukrainian society would categorically reject any peace agreement requiring a unilateral withdrawal of troops from the Donbas and the transfer of these territories to Russia, though a scenario freezing current battle lines could pass a referendum.
As reported by Hvylya, President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the potential terms of a peace deal in an interview with Axios.
The head of state emphasized that if a deal required Ukraine to simply abandon the Donbas, sacrificing sovereignty and citizens, the public would vote against it. "Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. They will not forgive me, they will not forgive the USA," Zelensky stressed, adding that Ukrainians do not understand why they should give up their land.
However, the president suggested a different scenario. If an agreement cements a ceasefire and halts troops at the current line of contact, society might accept it. "I think that if we write in the document that we stay where we are standing on the line of contact, then people will support it in a referendum. That is my opinion," he noted.
Zelensky also detailed difficult negotiations with U.S. intermediaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He expressed frustration that Donald Trump is publicly calling for concessions from Ukraine rather than the aggressor. The president warned the mediators against trying to force a vision of peace upon him that the public would perceive as an "unsuccessful story."
Meanwhile, as talks kicked off in Geneva, Russia launched a massive combined strike on Ukraine. In his evening address, Zelensky reported that the enemy used 29 missiles of various types and nearly 400 drones, with air defenses downing 25 missiles.
"Even on the day regular formats start in Geneva – trilateral, bilateral with America – Russia meets it with a strike. This demonstrates very clearly what Russia wants and what they are set on," the president stated.
Zelensky also highlighted that Russian weapons are filled with Western components. Hundreds of parts were found in downed Iskander and Kh-101 missiles—components Russia cannot produce independently and which it obtains by circumventing sanctions.
