Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. /photo = AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that a compromise is possible in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists. It is analyzed that the existing position of ‘no territorial abandonment’ was bent as the damage caused by the prolonged war increased.
President Zelensky said in a video interview with a group of Russian independent journalists on the 27th (local time), one day before the fifth peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the Financial Times reported. “I know it’s impossible to get Russia to leave Ukraine completely,” Zelensky said in Russian. As Russia invaded the Donbas region claiming independence, it is interpreted as an attempt to end the war that lasted more than a month by giving up the region.
“Ukraine’s main goal is to end the war as quickly as possible and withdraw Russian troops to their positions before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion,” Zelensky said. However, in a video address to the Ukrainian people after the interview, he said, “The government will prioritize the preservation of Ukraine’s territory in the fifth round of negotiations.”
It also hinted at the possibility of promoting neutralization on the premise of a referendum. “If Russia withdraws its troops and Kiiu is secured, Ukraine can declare neutrality and abandon NATO membership,” Zelensky said. . Ukraine has been pushing to join NATO after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, but admitted this month that it was impossible to join.
However, President Zelensky emphasized that “the neutralization of Ukraine must be guaranteed by a third party” and that “it should be put to a referendum after the Russian military withdraws.” “President Putin should meet in a neutral zone to sign an initial agreement and withdraw troops from Ukraine,” he said. President Zelensky added that he declined to discuss the demilitarization that Russia is demanding of Ukraine. “If Russia continues to insist on demilitarizing Ukraine, there will be no negotiations,” he said.
As the fighting continued, the fifth peace negotiations began. The Ukrainian-Russian negotiating delegation will hold the fifth peace negotiations in Ankara, Turkey for three days from the 28th to the 30th. President Zelensky said the negotiations were “not bad” and “let’s see the outcome”.
Reporter Se-min Heo semin@hankyung.com
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