This is reported by Kyiv24
The Office of the President of Ukraine has categorically denied information regarding an alleged agreement by Kyiv to create a buffer zone in Donbas as part of peace negotiations. Such reports emerged following a publication in the French outlet Le Monde, which referenced advisor to the head of the Office of the President, Mykhailo Podolyak.
Kyiv’s Official Position on Possible Territorial Solutions
Ukrainian President’s advisor Dmytro Lytvyn emphasized in a comment to the media that the material from Le Monde contains “an incorrect translation and presentation”. According to Lytvyn, the question of whether Ukraine would agree to the establishment of such a zone can only be decided at the highest political level or through a popular vote.
“Whether Ukraine agreed or not can only be decided at the highest political level or by the people of Ukraine, as the president stated to journalists yesterday.”
Earlier, Le Monde, citing Mykhailo Podolyak, reported that Ukraine had agreed to the U.S. conditions for establishing a buffer zone in Donbas, considering it necessary to withdraw both armies from the territory.
During a conversation with journalists, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the American side proposed that Ukrainian forces leave the currently controlled parts of Donetsk, and that Russian troops should not enter there, which would allow for the creation of a so-called “free economic zone” or “demilitarized zone.”
The head of state emphasized Ukraine’s principled position: it would be fair to remain at the current contact line. He stressed that the final decision should be made by the people of Ukraine — either in elections or through a referendum.
International Negotiations and Reactions
According to the president, discussions are ongoing, and there is currently no agreed decision regarding Donbas. Zelensky also noted that the negotiating parties — the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine — have not reached a common vision for the future of the region. “There is a vision from the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, and we do not have a unified opinion on Donbas,” he stated.
Last week, a meeting took place in Moscow between American representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Vladimir Putin, where the parameters of a possible peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine were discussed. Putin confirmed that the Russian side disagreed with several points of the American plan.
Following this meeting, the Ukrainian delegation held negotiations in the U.S. with representatives of Donald Trump’s administration, which lasted several days. According to media reports, a meeting of representatives from the U.S., Ukraine, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom is expected to take place in Paris soon to discuss President Trump’s peace initiative.
The White House stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is “extremely disappointed” with the positions of both the Ukrainian and Russian sides and currently does not wish to continue the dialogue. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt noted that the U.S. delegation would only participate in negotiations in Paris if there is a real prospect of signing a peace agreement.
Since November, the U.S. has been negotiating with Ukraine and Russia regarding the proposed Washington peace plan, the first draft of which involved transferring all of Donbas to Russia, withdrawing Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk region, and freezing hostilities in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions along the line of contact. After a series of meetings, the document underwent changes.
President Zelensky reported that three documents are currently being considered regarding the end of the war: a framework document with 20 points, a document on security guarantees, and a restoration project that is to be activated after the cessation of hostilities.
Analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War have repeatedly emphasized that the Kremlin is not demonstrating a willingness for honest negotiations and seeks Ukraine’s capitulation rather than compromise.