In an interview with the Axios news service published on Tuesday, Zelensky said Ukrainians would not accept an agreement that involved pulling Ukrainian forces out of Donbas and effectively handing the region to Russia.
He criticized Trump for publicly calling on Ukraine to compromise.
“It is not fair,” Zelensky said, adding that “giving victory” to Russian President Vladimir Putin would not produce lasting peace.
He said he hoped Trump’s statements were “just his tactic, not a decision.”
Zelensky said US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had told him Russia genuinely wants to end the war, but he said he remained skeptical.
He said he asked US officials not to pressure him into “selling a vision of peace” that Ukrainians would see as a “failed story.”
Axios reported that US mediators proposed that Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of Donbas they currently control to allow the creation of a demilitarized “free economic zone,” without clarifying which country would hold sovereignty.
Zelensky said Ukraine could discuss withdrawals only if Russian forces pulled back the same distance, and he rejected Russian claims to the territory.
About 10 percent of Donbas remains under Ukrainian control.
Zelensky said Ukraine and the United States have agreed that any peace deal must be put to a referendum. He said a deal involving the loss of sovereignty and citizenship for residents of Donbas would be rejected.
“From an emotional point of view, people would never forgive this. Never,” he said, adding that Ukrainians “do not understand why” they should be asked to give up more territory.
He said Ukrainians could accept an agreement freezing current front lines.
Axios noted that Russia insists on taking control of all of Donbas, either militarily or through negotiations.
Zelensky said political talks were moving slowly, but military-level negotiations with Russia in Abu Dhabi were more productive. He said the sides largely agreed on a US-led drone-based mechanism to monitor a ceasefire, though Russia opposes Ukraine’s call for European involvement.
He also said Russia has so far agreed only to a one-day ceasefire to allow a nationwide vote, which he called absurd, arguing Ukraine would need about 60 days. He said this showed Moscow was not ready for real peace.
Separately, Ukrainian, US and Russian delegations completed the first day of trilateral talks in Geneva, Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said.
Political and military working groups were set to resume talks on Wednesday.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP