Zelensky to ABC: Ready to Freeze War on Front Line, Won't Recognize Russian Rule

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready for a peace deal that freezes the war along the current front line, but that Ukraine will not agree to recognize that "temporarily occupied territory has become Russian." He spoke in an interview with ABC News.

"Yes, we are ready to stop this war as soon as possible. To freeze the conflict along the front line right now," he said.

"That means giving up the whole of Donbas"

Asked whether he would be willing to "give up 25% of Ukraine's territory" for a deal, Zelensky answered no, explaining that Russia has seized smaller percentages. "When someone speaks about 25%, it means we would have to abandon all of Donbas, it would mean they control 25%. Right now they control 19.3%," he said. He added that he had heard such proposals and that Ukraine would not agree to recognize occupied land as Russian.

Starlink and Patriots

In the same interview the president repeated that the Starlink restrictions remain in force; we reported on his earlier confirmation. He also said Ukraine has received 24 Patriot missiles from its strategic partner over the past 90 days.

Talks timeline

Zelensky had already said he would accept a peace deal freezing the war on the present line, calling it a "realistic" way to end the conflict. On 21 October, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg for about three hours, the day after he met Zelensky and the leaders of Norway and Finland in Oslo. Putin told Witkoff Moscow is ready to resume US-Ukraine-Russia trilateral talks in the second decade of November.

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