Zelenskyy: Ukraine ready to freeze the war along the current front line

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the US broadcaster ABC News that Ukraine is ready for a peace deal that would freeze the war along the current front line, also known as the line of contact. At the same time, he stressed that Kyiv will not agree to recognise temporarily occupied territory as Russian. The remarks come as talks may resume following recent contacts between the United States and Russia.

On the 25% figure and occupied land

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared to halt the war as quickly as possible by freezing it along the contact line. Asked whether he would be willing to "give up 25% of Ukraine" under a deal, the president said no. He explained that Russian forces have occupied a smaller share of the country.

According to Zelenskyy, talk of 25% implies that Ukraine would have to leave the whole of Donbas, after which Russia would control 25% of the territory. He said Russia currently controls 19.3%. He added that he had heard such proposals, but Ukraine would not accept them.

Starlink and Patriot missiles

In the interview, Zelenskyy reiterated that restrictions on Starlink remain in place. He also said Ukraine had received 24 Patriot missiles from its strategic partner over the past 90 days.

Earlier developments

Zelenskyy had previously said he would accept a peace deal that froze the war along the current line of contact, calling it a "real" way to end the conflict.

On 21 October in Saint Petersburg, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian leader Vladimir Putin for about three hours. The day before, Witkoff had met Zelenskyy and the leaders of Norway and Finland in Oslo. Putin told Witkoff that Moscow was ready to resume trilateral negotiations involving the US, Ukraine and Russia in the first ten days of November.