On December 11, Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine had delivered an updated peace plan to the United States, adding that it consists of a set of documents rather than a single text, and much of it still needs refinement. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump wants a “full understanding” of the plan’s status no later than Christmas.
However, Zelensky noted that territorial issues remain unresolved. Russia seeks control over the entire Donbass region, including Donetsk and Lugansk, something Ukraine “cannot accept.”
“From our perspective, it would be reasonable to stop at the current positions, meaning to freeze the front line. There have been discussions on differing viewpoints, and the issue has not yet been decided,” he said.
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Zelensky stated that the U.S. had proposed that Ukraine withdraw its forces from the territories it still controls in Donbass to establish a “free economic zone” in those areas. Russia refers to this as a “demilitarized zone,” where Moscow’s forces would not advance.
According to Zelensky, the key questions are who would administer these areas and how to ensure that any withdrawal takes place fairly. “If one side withdraws, which is what they want Ukraine to do, why shouldn’t the other side pull back by an equivalent distance in the opposite direction?” he said, suggesting that Russia should also withdraw from the territories it currently occupies. Zelensky also questioned who would be responsible for overseeing the “free economic zone,” ensuring that Russian troops do not enter the area “disguised as civilians and seize control.”
He emphasized that any discussion of compromise must involve “fair proposals,” and Ukraine may not accept the proposed arrangement. Zelensky reiterated that territorial decisions must be made by the Ukrainian people through elections or a referendum.
The United States has not commented on Zelensky’s claims, but said that President Trump is “deeply frustrated” with both Russia and Ukraine. “He doesn’t want more discussions; he wants action to end the war,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Washington last month put forward a plan to end the conflict in Ukraine and is attempting to persuade both Moscow and Kyiv to agree. The initial proposal consisted of 28 points, including requiring Ukraine to cede some territory, accept limits on its military, and halt its pursuit of NATO membership. That version was rejected by Ukraine and several European nations for being overly favorable to Russia.
Russia currently controls more than 19% of Ukraine’s pre-2014 territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, nearly all of Lugansk province, over 80% of Donetsk, around 75% of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, as well as small parts of Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk.