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- By Supratik Das
- Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:03 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that any agreement to end the nearly four-year-long war with Russia must be approved by the Ukrainian people through a national referendum, stressing that such a vote would only be possible after a ceasefire of at least 60 days.
Speaking amid renewed diplomatic activity involving the United States and Russia, Zelensky said the proposed 20-point peace plan cannot move forward without a sustained halt in hostilities. According to him, a temporary ceasefire is essential to ensure security, transparency and democratic participation before Ukrainians are asked to decide the country’s future.
Ceasefire Before Referendum, Zelensky Insists
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine’s constitution requires any decision involving territorial changes to be put to a public vote. He said holding a referendum while active fighting continues would be impossible and unsafe, underlining that a minimum 60-day ceasefire is a non-negotiable condition for the process.
The Ukrainian leader added that several core issues remain unresolved in the peace framework, particularly the status of the eastern Donbas region and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. These sensitive matters were discussed during his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Russia’s Demands And Warning On Territory
The Kremlin, however, maintained a hard line. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine would need to withdraw its forces from the parts of Donbas it still controls if it genuinely wants peace. He warned that failure to reach an agreement could result in Ukraine losing additional territory in the coming months.
Russia currently controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014. Moscow claims large parts of Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson as its own, though these claims are rejected by Kyiv and not recognised by most of the international community.
Trump-Zelensky Talks: Progress, But No Breakthrough
Zelensky travelled to Florida on Sunday for extended talks with President Trump, who has been actively pushing for an end to the conflict. While no major breakthrough was announced, both leaders described the discussions as productive and said progress had been made.
Trump said nearly 90 per cent of the peace plan had been agreed upon, though the remaining issues were the most difficult. He acknowledged that questions around land concessions and the nuclear plant were among the toughest obstacles. “I do think we’re getting a lot closer, maybe very close,” Trump told reporters, while also cautioning that peace might still take time.
Ahead of his meeting with Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin in what he described as a “very productive” call. The Kremlin confirmed another conversation between the two leaders could take place soon, but ruled out direct talks between Putin and Zelensky for now.
Zelensky criticised Russia’s continued missile and drone attacks, saying they contradict Moscow’s claims of wanting peace. Despite this, diplomatic efforts are set to continue, with US, Ukrainian and European teams expected to hold further meetings in the coming weeks. As fighting persists on the ground, the focus now shifts to whether a ceasefire, the first step outlined by Kyiv, can be achieved to test the viability of a broader peace deal.