During a press conference on December 11, Zelensky answered journalists' questions, discussing the peace plan prepared by the United States in the context of the situation in Donbas and at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which remain contentious issues.
The President noted that the plan includes the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. However, the Russian side claims that it has no intention of leaving the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and, in particular, Donetsk regions.
Zelensky emphasized: "Russia seeks to control the entire Donbas, but this is unacceptable for us. The U.S. is considering various options, including a proposal to create a 'free economic zone,' while the Russian side calls it a 'demilitarized zone.' We insist on establishing a line of demarcation," he added, pointing out that discussions are ongoing.
According to him, within the framework of this plan, Ukrainian troops are to leave part of the territory, while Russian troops will not be able to enter. The issues of control in this zone remain open, which, according to the president, reflects the "compromised vision of the U.S."
Zelensky stressed that any decision on territorial issues must be based on the opinion of the people of Ukraine. "I am convinced that it is the people of Ukraine who should decide this issue. This can be done through elections or a referendum," he noted.
The Russian side also expresses a desire to maintain control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which does not satisfy Ukraine. The U.S. is working on a format for the joint use of the plant.
Additionally, Zelensky reported that the United States is not setting specific deadlines for working on the peace plan. "Everyone is interested in a quick conclusion of this process. We hear from the U.S. that they want to achieve results as soon as possible, possibly by Christmas," he added.
The new version of the peace plan also changed the provision regarding the number of the Ukrainian armed forces. If the first version limited the number to 600,000, the latest version has increased this figure to 800,000.
"Previously, there were various figures, and remember, in 2022 there was a proposal to limit the number to 40 or 50 thousand? At the moment, the document states the actual number of our army, agreed upon with the military — 800,000," the president said.
