Zelensky says he would accept ceasefire freezing front lines

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 15:38 · Archive

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would accept a ceasefire that freezes the current front lines to end the war with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Fox & Friends on Wednesday that he would accept a ceasefire that freezes the current front lines to end the war with Russia. When asked whether he would accept such a deal that left Ukraine holding 75 per cent or more of its territory, Zelensky responded: 'Yes, right now we have to freeze, and I think this is a real way to end this war. We call it a ceasefire.'

Zelensky said this would be the minimum Ukraine needs from Russia, adding that the country would then seek security guarantees from President Trump and European leaders. The most important aspect of any peace deal, he said, is ensuring that Russian aggression and occupation do not return. He stressed that 9.5 million people who have lost their houses and fled abroad need to be able to return to rebuild their country.

When asked whether he would surrender the Donbas region to achieve peace, Zelensky refused. 'They're not winning on the battlefield. That's why they want us to push using any kind of pressure on us to push us from our land. It's not fair,' he said. He acknowledged that Ukrainian people are tired and want to end the war quickly, but insisted they want to remain in their own country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has previously rejected ceasefire proposals, saying they would give Kyiv time to rearm.

How it is being reported

• Zelensky proposes freezing front with Russia as first step to peace talksPresident Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called for the front line in Russia's war against to Ukraine to be frozen along current lines as a first step toward peace talks. His comments came as US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg.France 24 · 21 Oct, 15:46
• Ukraine's Zelenskyy open to freezing front lines in ceasefire with RussiaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's open to freezing the front lines of the Ukraine-Russia war as a real path to end the conflict.Fox News · 21 Oct, 15:11
• Ukraine’s Zelensky says he’d accept peace deal with Russia that ‘freezes’ front lines: ‘Real way to end war’Zelensky said he would be willing to stop the fighting immediately — even as Russian troops have been struggling mightily on the battlefield.New York Post · 21 Oct, 14:13

In this story: Volodymyr Zelensky · Ukraine · Russia · Donbas · Donald Trump · Sergey Lavrov

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