Zelenskyy Conditions Territorial Referendum on Two-Month Ceasefire with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that any public referendum on territorial concessions to Russia would be possible only if Moscow agrees to a 60-day ceasefire, stressing that holding such a vote while the war continues would be illegitimate.

In an interview with Axios, Zelenskyy stated that Russia has so far rejected a peace plan proposed by former US President Donald Trump, citing intelligence assessments available to Kyiv. “A popular referendum during an active war cannot be legitimate,” he said, adding that a temporary truce is a prerequisite for any serious domestic consultation on the future of occupied territories.

Zelenskyy indicated that he plans to raise sensitive territorial issues, including the potential withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donbas region and the future operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, during an upcoming meeting with Trump in Florida. The meeting is expected to take place on Sunday.

“Regarding the most sensitive issues, we will discuss both Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia station,” Zelenskyy said. He added that a 20-point framework under discussion has received 90 percent approval from both Ukraine and the United States.

The Ukrainian president also noted that Washington is receptive to Kyiv’s insistence on maintaining the strength of the Ukrainian armed forces at around 800,000 troops. “Our task is to ensure 100 percent readiness,” he said. “This is not easy, and no one claims it can be achieved immediately, but we must bring positions closer in every meeting.”

Zelenskyy revealed that a separate, “well-drafted” agreement on US security guarantees for Ukraine will also be discussed with Trump, alongside economic arrangements that he described as still being in their early stages.

In recent days, Zelenskyy has repeatedly signaled cautious optimism, writing on Telegram and X that “much can be decided before the end of the year” regarding a peace settlement. His remarks come amid intensified diplomatic efforts to end the war, now approaching its fourth year.

According to Ukrainian officials, Zelenskyy recently received an update from Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s chief negotiator in peace talks, following Umerov’s latest contacts with US counterparts. Diplomatic sources quoted by the Kyiv Post said a meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump could take place on December 28 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Zelenskyy also confirmed that he held a nearly hour-long phone call with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, to discuss pathways to ending the war. “It was a really good conversation,” he said, citing new ideas related to formats, meetings, and timelines for achieving what he described as “real peace.”

Trump has been pressing for an agreement to end the conflict, and recent weeks have seen gradual progress in peace initiatives led by Witkoff and Kushner, though significant obstacles remain.